To Paradise
by InsaneScriptist
Summary: A deal struck between the Black Brothers has far-reaching effects upon not only the wizarding world but the muggle one as well. How things could have gone differently. AU. Beware the of the asinine, politics and pranks.
1. Chapter 1

A/N; I should so work on my Naruto stories, but little brother crashed computer, went factory restart, and had wiped what I had on my flash drive. Needless to say, he regretted it, I lost like thirty-three chapters, half of which I was happy with. Those chapters will be up once I'm happy with them. That might take a while. This however is an idea that won't leave me alone, mostly because of the forum I was on www. fanfiction. net/forums/challenges/51526 and hang out on, (remove the spaces, you guys know the drill) is awesome, provided that you ignore some of the crazy people that frequent it.

While I did start this idea and challenge, I finally decided to actually type it out and post it. If you're writing something about it in Macroeconomics then you know that something is wrong.

* * *

**Prologue- The Bond of the Brothers Black**

"Brother! Listen to me! Damn-it! Look, I know we've chosen different sides in this bloody war, but we're still brothers!"

"I have been disowned, I have no brother, thus you are no brother of mine! Support your family's name and honor, the Ancient and Noble Black! Toujours Pur and all that rot!"

"Sirius, _all_ of that can rot! Sirius! I have to tell _you_ something important, -Mother can_not_ know."

Something his Mother- may the bitch die and rot in hell- can't know about? Sirius wondered what his perfect little brother had done. While his parents could die and he'd laugh and dance and get drunk at their funerals and piss fire-whiskey on their graves –happily he might add- he would miss Reggie, before he went to Hogwarts and their brotherly relationship went away as if it never was. Since he was bringing it up –causing himself some small pain as well- Sirius figured he had better listen.

"I'm listening, Reggie." His brother gave a quick crooked grin that took the weight of the war off his shoulders, -apparently it _was_ really important that he listen and possibly help, followed by a scowl at his childhood nickname that he hated.

'Reggie' had scowled at his old boyhood nickname. He had to do something, show some expression, just anything but nervousness. Damn his time in Slytherin! He swallowed a hard bitter pill of anxiety. The part he had supposed would be hardest –getting his stubborn brother to listen, but it paled in comparison of the next part. He had done horrible, horrible crimes with no hesitation as a Death Eater, as a servant to the Dark Lord, he admitted it to himself although there were nights when he was so deep in guilt to get even a scrap of restless sleep which was better than his waking nightmares. He'd admit that without the need for any truth serum or spell or oath for that matter. So why couldn't he get the words to form and fly from his mouth? He had practiced this, -again he wished he had his brother's strength to break out of and away from his family mold, to be Gryffindor, - to do the right thing! Some nights he wished he had let the hat place him in Ravenclaw, but seeing two years or summers of hate directed at his brother for being different had him manipulating the hat into Slytherin.

"You remember the Ravenclaw, the half-blood that I fancied for a while in my fourth year?"

"Mother destroyed any hope of that relationship. I'm sorry that I wasn't there, but given our parent's hatred of me, I was more apt to be belted or even cursed heavily. I'm sorry that I left you there. Now why bring up old memories little brother?"

"We dated. Not openly, being in Slytherin was good for learning how to hide things like that, and we are close. Very close my brother. We can't be together often times being how they are…and the side Mother and Father forced me to join. Brother mine, we are-"

"Engaged? Expecting? Well, maybe you don't have the courage to openly defy mother -may she rot in hell- but Regulus!" Sirius started to congratulate his brother before looking at his brother's face. It was grave, which while he was excited to be an uncle, he then remembered the times and the war.

"Sirius, I'm telling you this, for a single reason and this reason only. I don't want my child to grow up like us, in an environment like we did. I don't want my child to depend upon the charity of her relatives. I'm a son of the Ancient and Noble house of Black. I'll not pawn off a child –my child unto our mother or our cousins either –except Andy, but you know how the family would react to that and how the courts work and who the laws favor. Sirius, I want you to swear to take in my child should I die."

...

"Regulus, you say that like you're planning on it."

"I plan on defying the Dark Lord, of course I'm going to die."

"That doesn't have to happen, look James and Lily have done so three times and so have Frank and Alice! They're alive!"

"They're in hiding. They fear for their lives!"

"They fear for their unborn children's lives, the same as you are doing! I fear for my godchild's life, whenever he or she will be born into this war-torn world!"

Regulus sucked in air and exhaled in a hiss that could be mistaken for Parsel-tongue if Regulus hadn't heard it several times. He clamped down on feelings of betrayal; he had betrayed their brotherly bond first by siding with their parents.

"Regulus, you are not going on a suicide mission when your child has yet to enter the world. You can't condemn a child to not knowing who his or her parents are! Doing it willingly has to be the worst idea I've ever heard- I have heard a lot of them and acted on several of them and I regret it! You should at least stay around and hold it when it is born."

"Sirius, if I do that I'll lose my nerve, my resolve. If I do that, then the Dark Lord will still be immortal."

"Brother, how is he still around? I'll help you. You don't have to die."

"I'm sorry Sirius, but know that it is by the blackest of the arts that he is still around and immortal. I'm asking you to take care of my child because it looks like I won't last the year, be it my suicidal mission or from being his servant. The mother will be targeted, she's on your side, the light side and she'd already had several complications from stress. If she survives the birth then she'll have to survive the war and Ravenclaws are not well-suited to the chaos of war."

"I know little brother. However know that if I let you do this, I'm going to place a few precautions upon you. You will know your child somehow, I suggest binding your spirit to a place or getting a portrait done."

"So big brother, since you are going to be restrictive of me, I shall demand the same of you. Your god-child should know his god-father. You will take him or her in should the Potters die wouldn't you?"

"If for some reason they- the brother and sister of my heart should die- another clash with him, some accident, or on the field of battle, I will. However, the only reason or way that would happen is if someone gave away the secret, and it won't be me."

"You and your chivalry, mate. Being bait are we, dear brother? It will be risky, risky, risky with a high chance of torture, more torture, a bit of healing followed by even more torture –perhaps by our lovely cousin Bella, and a slow rather public execution. I hope it will be worth it."

"It will be, provided that if- if someone gets James and Lily- provided that they're not a child killer."

"And if they are?"

"I say extract vengeance."

"And if the child is alive?"

"Then, I don't know. I might go after James and Lily's killer or pick up my god-child and mourn. Perhaps I'll get him, bring him back to one of the Black Properties, the un-used ones, or my flat. Bugger, I'm going to have to get those child manual thingies are I?"

"And if you can't convince the world that you didn't betray the Potters? Would they see you as a kidnapper as well?"

"I don't know. I'll take veritaserum, swear an oath-"

"Veritaserum is expensive, difficult to brew, and can only be distributed by licensed officials or potion masters. Might I remind you that you and your friends have a mutual grudge against the youngest in Europe? He could change it to where instead of speaking truthfully, you'll only spout lies."

"Give my word-"

"You are disowned, -or actually burned off the tapestry. They won't accept your word. The courts will be bribed by more gold than you could scrounge up, the dark families hating you for being a blood-traitor and the light for coming from a dark family. That's if you go to court in the first place. Crouch, and Bagnold –more Crouch than the old windbag- are changing more laws, if you're a Death Eater, suspected to be one, caught in the act or other similar terrorist actions, they have the right given enough evidence to toss you into Azkaban -without trial –no investigation since it would be a waste of ministry monies which would be better used for the war –or so they say-, although you'll probably be one of the few that would fall into that category. Everyone seems to be against you so even cousin Bell would get a trial, but you wouldn't."

"Damn you for being such a pessimist. Alrighty then, if you somehow survive your suicidal mission and my god-child survives James, Lily, the Longbottoms and I, then you shall keep him or her safe, in whatever fashion you may choose. I in turn, shall look after your child should the mother of your child and yourself both die. In the advent of being sentenced to Azkaban without trial, or my name being blacken further, I request a sample of your blood so that I might adopt him or her with your consent, to escape kidnapping charges; I also ask that if could be used to bind your spirit to a location or object of your choice or set for a portrait."

"Or for the blood to be used to hide the Potter child," Regulus murmured to him.

"Or for the blood to hide my god-child," Sirius intoned. "Is that acceptable for you brother?"

"It is. Now let's cross wands and swear to it. I have a mother and child to care for, a binding ritual to complete and blood to let. Then my rather daft mission which you shall not be helping me with, as a way to prove that I can be as brave as you, and several other things including fiscal matters as the heir."

"You say that like I forget how to do this. And what was that raised eyebrow about?"

"As agreed, and as we will, so mote it be."

"As agreed, and as we will, so mote it be."

"Oh, and Reg. Next time you want to talk, don't kidnap me. Send me a letter through muggle mail."

"I shall do so."

* * *

**Chapter 1- Orion Regulus Black**

A large grey owl with molted feathers dropped a letter, upon a breakfast table where a young boy was sitting at. The boy with gray-green eyes gave the bird some food off his plate.

He carefully opened the envelope addressed to a Mr. Orion Regulus Black.

The boy looked over the supply list, ignored the warning about brooms and said to the bird, "I accept."

The bird nodded and flew off, winging back to the school.

The eleven year old child then walked quietly up the stairs. The night before last had been a full moon so they would still be sleeping in and the fact that it was the weekend. That still didn't stop him from singing in a rather pleasant voice, "Oh, Un~cle Si-ri! Oi! Un~cle Moon-y! You'll never guess what this morn' be bring-ing!"

A ghost sleepily floated up beside him, "I have no idea why you're even trying to wake them before noon, and without coffee."

"Good point. The coffee was getting cold, and it's only nine."

"I didn't just suggest what I think I did, did I?" The ghost asked rhetorically.

"You might have suggested what you think you did suggest for me to act on but it is equally likely that what you suggested was not really a suggestion but a fragment of an idea that I acted upon, but plainly speaking, not really."

"Huh?" The ghost said, then decided it wasn't his problem but stuck around to watch Sirius be splashed with cold coffee.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N; Beware, this story has taken a hold of me and not let go. It's wordy and awesome, and written up to chapter 8 and roughly plotted out until the tri-wizard tournament.

Chapter 2- Gone

Orion looked around the rather deserted King's Cross Station and for good reason. He wasn't at the morning rush or the lunch rush. He looked over at platform 9 3/4s, and then he glanced at a clock attached to platform pillar. He glanced back to the station proper the clock and then finally his uncle.

His Uncle Sirius was doing a damn good impression of a muggle zombie, commonly known as inferni in the magical world.

That practically begged the question of how a boy of eleven and his uncle who was basically asleep where he stood arrived at a busy muggle train station in the middle of London, uninjured and relatively sane. The answer is magic, specifically the magic of caffeine.

By some chance miracle, the pair had made it to the platform. By that same miracle Sirius was out of bed before noon a.k.a. the 'crack of dawn.' Orion had wondered how the man had survived his schooling; adaption could only go so far. That and Orion was secretly jealous that his uncle could actually sleep in. His inner alarm clock wouldn't let him sleep past seven even if he had stayed up until five. He'd done it before, several times. He was grumpy and his accent which was otherwise non-existent showed up prominently. Damn the muggles and their hidden lessons in punctuality when it came to schooling. He was going to have to get used to having classes at weird times, well seemingly weird to him. Still his Uncle's presence was worth mentioning.

Thus it had to be said, "Uncle, however we managed to arrive here safely is a miracle. How you are still half-asleep after driving your bike through London traffic and this noisy station is another. I suppose you could be going deaf too…"

"Issy, Iya puld dem outta meh hat like dem muggle magicians do dem bunnies."

"Padfoot, go home, catch some z's or call Moony to take you home."

"Whad our food address now O'ryanz?"

"Never mind, I'm calling Remus. You desperately need caffeine."

"Itz god! Better then Merlin evenz."

Orion quickly pulled out a mirror from his bag. "Remus! Come quick! Padfoot is acting like a zombie from a bad horror flick!"

Remus, who was in the library, and apparently on his favorite couch, raised his eyebrow and eyes from the book he was currently reading. "Is that all, Orion? I, the brave Gryffindor that I am shall rescue you from your zombie uncle. I'll apparate over to that alley next to that café, get some coffee or tea and take him back home. Is he terrorizing the muggles yet?"

"Given enough time? He might, wait he will eventually. Anyway, Moony once again you prove you are more amazing." Orion commented before shuffling his owl's cage on top of his trunk. Orion wasn't worried about being seen by anyone non-magical in the area since the area of effect of the notice-me-not on his trunk was quite large.

Okay, so he had intentionally over-charged the runes a bit! They still worked just fine! Sirius, disguised as he was –a tall man with rich chestnut hair and silver streaks on his temples giving it a very distinguished look, and green eyes- went with additional precautions of actually activating the runes tattooed around his wrists, arms, ankles, thighs, and circling around his torso and sides. He could be naked and singing Hogwart's song off-key and no-one would notice, well, him being naked anyway. Sirius if he was awake would pout since the female species couldn't admire him that way.

Orion had taken a much simpler approach. He had burned the runes on the inside of a leather dog collar that he always wore around his neck, tags included.

He was a very beautiful child and would only grow more so as he grew older. As the saying originally went, 'No Black ever looked bad.' Time and misunderstandings perverted the saying to 'No one ever looked bad in black.'

For that reason and several others Orion had several martial arts belts, in different levels, and several ribbons for getting into the final few rounds of the mixed martial arts competitions he had competed in. He was currently looking for a fencing or kendo team to join; he really disliked the fact that Hogwarts had neither. Muggle schools had them, why not magical? He always cursed fluently in his mind when that fact came to his mind.

He had rather wavy hair, nice, dark and very subtle in its complex coloring. He had yet to meet two people who agreed what color his hair was since different angles of refracting light had different parts of his hair that were highlighted. It was rather long reaching a few inches past his shoulders, but that's what hair-ties were for. He had fine features, a straight nose, large gray and green eyes framed by dark lashes, a mobile mouth that was currently in a pout of impatience. His skin was smooth, with the occasional birthmark or freckle; the most prominent were a small on face under the corner of his left eye and another small on the right side of his neck. At the moment, he was currently sporting a slight tan.

He was wearing a mix of wizarding and muggle clothing. A well made silk shirt, white to show off his tan, and black well tailored pants, leading into dragon hide boots. To be short he had an elegant punk look, with his hair pulled into a loose ponytail, the bangs falling everywhere and way and the dark dog collar and tags. If he had left his white shirt open you'd see a silver tank top with a grim airbrushed on it.

If you were magical and commented upon his appearance he'd hex you with spells you wouldn't think a soon to be first year could do. If you were non-magical he's show you exactly why he had consistently placed in the top quarter of any MMA tourney he had participated in.

At the moment he went to settle down his owl with sweet nothings and pettings, who was out of her cage which was attached to the top of his 'monster' trunk via a simple sticking charm. At one time it was a simple trunk with only two rooms to hold some of his things so they wouldn't have to search all over for them when they moved _again_. It had evolved into a four room –if the giant structures could be called rooms anymore- and had security that Moony had dubbed 'slightly less difficult than Gringotts.' Growing up with two master pranksters made you paranoid as Mad-eye Moody or a victim. He just had to wait and see who would become the first victim of 'the luggage.'

He and Remus had read a bit too much of Terry Prachett to be fully sane, and that's not including the Xanth novels that they'd read at the same time which was a sure-fire way to induce strange and wacky thoughts.

After settling down his owl for the umpteenth time, he leaned back upon his trunk, whipped out a pair of shades from his bag, put them on and started to muggle-watch, while briefly passing the time pondering how quickly fan-clubs for him would band together and then disband once they learned his name. His uncle had a rather fearsome and rather undeserved reputation, and the rest of his family's reputation as well to consider which was dark, dark, evil, dark and even more dark.

Remus chose this moment to walk up to him, handed him a cup of coffee which he brought up to his lips to smell and chose not to drink. Just because his name was Black didn't mean he liked black coffee. Remus proceeded to give Sirius the other cup, which he sipped from slowly becoming more alive from his zombie-fied state. It was strange to see that as he became more awake, his hair which was a mess from bed and helmet straighten behind his glamour –the benefit of his sunglasses- and his clothes also a mix of wizarding and muggle leaning towards the equivalent of the wizarding biker look- straighten out, and his red velvet chocker -a family piece with a cross and two attached strings of crystals that hid his magical signature so completely that he'd pass for a muggle barring a deep probing scan by a medi-witch or wizard- became more polished and bright, like his dragon hide boots.

"Uncle, it's time for you to go home now. You have work in a few hours, same for you as well Moony."

"Mssr. Moony, help Mssr. Padfoot since his favorite nephew doesn't want him anymore!"

Moony however was no help, "I have no idea how you managed to be so responsible with us as role models, and I think I'm better off not knowing."

"I became inoculated to your brand of madness long ago." Orion replied. After a calming deep breath, "Dumbledore is going to watch me like a hawk. I won't be able to visit until I have his methods and methodology down. I might meet you guys at the usual, but probably not until after Christmas or Halloween, depending on how quickly I can get to work considering my soon to be infamy."

Sirius, seeing a change in mood stated, "I'm going to miss you a hell of a lot 'till then, Tweety." He proceeded to hug his nephew in a crushing hug.

"Mssr. Moony wished Mssr. Talos good grades and good luck."

"Mssr. Padfoot echoes Mssr. Moony's wishes and add that may he find good and loyal friends who shall always support and him and knows that whatever he does –pranks included, his marauder family will be proud of him."

"Mssr. Talos says that he doesn't need luck but accepts it anyway. He also says that he shall get good grades and play many successful pranks when his not-so-well-wishers aren't looking or suspecting." Orion then hugged the old werewolf –Remus on occasion didn't know his own strength- and his Uncle again before going onto the magical platform. Remus then walked Sirius back to his bike so he could drive away before he apparated back home to his book and the comfy couch he had abandoned in the library.

Orion shivered as he felt the illusion wash over him. He did the same when he passed through wards as well. Eventually, he hoped he'd be able to tone down the reaction to just hair-raising later on. Magic sensitivity could be as much a blessing as a curse. It was helpful when dodging random magicals when he and his family weren't in disguise.

He went to the last car, and to a certain compartment. He tapped the door and said the password in conjunction, activating the dormant spells embedded on the car from years ago. It didn't look like it, but it was far more comfy than the others now. He pulled a few books from his trunk and a magazine or two as well. They were sat on the floor, while he levitated the trunk up on the rack.

He settled back and started with the magazines while he waited for time to pass. Brewing potions was far cheaper to do, if a little unpleasant. Remus was unable to handle several common ingredients for healing potions –they made him sneeze- and several ingredients to common household potions he was allergic to as a werewolf and Sirius was able to make water catch fire. Thus any competent brewing had to be done by him. He had done quite a bit of it, and was able to do several potions commonly found on the OWLs easily. He had brewed wolfsbane before as well, with Remus as a partner. (Surprisingly, Sirius came up with the idea of practicing the potion using ingredients for spaghetti to save money. Also surprisingly, it came out as very good spaghetti. They were thoroughly sick of spaghetti by the time they had the routine down but it was worth it.)

Surprisingly, he had a very high aptitude for it –there were few things he wasn't good at. Some of Sirius' mishaps that he'd had whenever he tried to do something led to a few things being published in the quarterly magazine. A shrinking solution had somehow become a weight-loss potion in the hands of Sirius. That had brought in a pretty penny for a 'Madam Celestial,' his pen-name.

As eleven rolled close, the potions magazine was read front to back and all the way through including an ad for his pen-name's weight-loss potion that he didn't remember placing and the ad was slightly disturbing. It was then placed into a book, while he read through the 'Quibbler.' He happened to like the magazine, it was profound and interesting and Sirius did the horoscopes. He checked his out for the month. He ignored the planetary motions, as a Black he knew astronomy exceptionally well, it was hard not to as a look at his family tree made history and astronomy combine.

'_You should step outside of your comfort zone and usual social circle. You'll meet many new and interesting allies if you did_.'

Taking his Uncle's advice, he allowed the compartment to be seen. Thirty minutes before the trains was due to leave a girl with long light brown hair came in, messy from the effort of dragging her trunk onto the train and into the compartment.

Orion sighed and levitated the trunk up on the rack across from his, which had now glamours over the runes, locks and anything else odd. He bet she was a muggleborn.

"We can do magic here?" She was definitely muggleborn.

"Wait until we leave the station. You must be a muggle-born, thus your wand is newly bought and registered to the ministry and has a trace about it. So I wouldn't be practicing magic for another hour to be sure for you at least."

"Wha- But you-!"

"Purebloods, some half-bloods and those from old families use wands from dead family members. Thus they learn magic with a slight handicap, but it prevents those in power at the ministry from tracing their location. Since some magical families will stop at nothing to destroy their enemies and old family manors are hidden from behind solid wards. It's basically a check to keep those 'warring' or 'feuding' families from destroying each other. They get their matched wands at seventeen –which is a bit better matched than the ones you get at eleven. People and their personalities changing and all that. Also it gives them a bit of a 'power' boost on their spells, since their wand will be better suited than what they had been using."

"But Mr. Ollivander said-"

"The wand chooses the witch or wizard which is to some extent true. It depends on the woods used, and core. As an example those with a unicorn hair core, aren't intentionally malicious, they're mostly ignorant or really, really dense. Those with dragon heart-string are dominating, forceful and sometimes a bit arrogant. Lastly you have phoenix feathers, they users tend to be pure to their values and some say 'destined for greatness.' Which I believe to be utter coincidence, Dumbledore's wand was dragon heart-string after all. However the Dark Lord's was rumored to be phoenix and yew. It would be strong, true and dark as all get out. There are few darker woods out there than yew and they're a pretty galleon to even get to their location, much less a sample of them suitable for wands."

"I've hear about Dumbledore, and the- the Dark Lord, um He-who-must-not-be-named. I want to be in Gryffindor, like Dumbledore. They say that You-know-who was in Slyther-"

"You interrupted my lecture. I just started with the cores. The woods also effect the wand. Oak is good for defense and transfiguration, like mahogany, while woods like apple are good for charms, most fruit wood is except for peach, which is actually considered a dark wood since every bit of a peach tree is poisonous except for the peach flesh itself. As for which house Dumbledore was actually in, there are bets since everyone that was around at that time has died and unlike now, they didn't have yearbooks either."

"Well they say that-"

"And I could say differently. Sort of like the boy-who-lived thing. There are books that have their own theories of what happened that night, who he was raised by, his life till Hogwarts, and his life before that Halloween. While they might actually know the details of where the crib was, the layout of the house, where his parent's bodies fell, they don't know the truth of that night. The only two that do know it was fifteen months old at the time and the Dark Lord who if you believe the rumors was or is immortal. Yes, there are methods to immortality and they all have their own drawbacks. Before you say no, remember that you probably thought that magic was impossible not all that long ago."

"So you know what happened that night then?"

"No, I don't. But I do know where he went after."

"Really? I've read and heard so many things-"

"That would be lies. He went to live with his muggle relatives, or more specifically his aunt's family. Wizarding law as biased and flawed as it is, is big on family. The nearest blood relative is the one who will raise the child, provided that stipulations made in the parent's will don't say otherwise, also provided that they are willing and able to do so. If this is not possible by the nearest relatives, they trace the linage back. Lily Potter's parents were dead and had been so since her sixth year and were only children. Then there was her sister and her family. On James Potter's side there was his parents, who died during his fifth or sixth year of Hogwarts, and while his father had no siblings, his mother was a Black. Thus if his aunt hadn't taken baby Harry in, he would have go to Walburga Black, as his next of kin. She's dead now, like several other Black family members, but if you wanted to go on, you'd have him go to Sirius Black-"

"Who betrayed the Potters-"

"Shush you. I'm not finished, but he was disowned at the time, so guardianship -unless specifically stated otherwise- would have passed to Regulus, Sirius' younger brother, who disappeared shortly -actually the day- the war ended. After that there was the Black sisters, who are really Sirius' and Regulus' cousins. They've all married now, so first off there was Bellatrix LeStrange who makes a happy home in Azkaban with her husband and brother-in-law."

"Azkaban?"

"Wizarding prison. It's a very nasty place. Next you have Narcissa Malfoy, married to Lucius Malfoy, who pleaded imperious during the trials. They're considered a dark family by most. Their son Draco, is around our age, a year above us I think. Lastly there is the Tonks family. Andromeda Black was disowned for eloping with a muggle-born, and so legally has no claim upon him, unless all the above were killed or placed into Azkaban at one time or another. I'm not looking forward to running into Draco, since his mother is a socialite and a traditionalist, and Lucius is just considered bad news by most people. He's more than likely going to be a spoiled brat, a highly prejudice brat at that."

"Hey!- against who?"

"They're against muggles and muggle-born, despite the fact that he probably hasn't ever met a muggle. Still was a shame about Andromeda though, she's a very talented healer at St. Mungo's and Theodore or Ted Tonks was a decent guy when he was alive."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why was she disowned?"

"The Black family has a motto of 'Torjous Pur.' It's a very old pureblooded house. Purebloods are those who technically have magical parents and grandparents, even though the snootier ones will only speak to you if you have at least five generations pure and provided that they're not werewolves because if they marry in then your family's rep goes down the crap-shoot, and any offspring will be killed upon capture along with the parents."

"Killed? Just because you survived an encounter with a wild beast and wanted a family?"

"Actually because of the werewolf's malicious nature, they're considered neutral at best and dark half-breeds at worst. Told you that the law has some blind spots. They also favor purebloods or those from 'old' families by a wide margin in comparison to those that are muggle-born. The court system is a complete and total mess."

"People will look down upon me just because my parents are normal!"

"To you, you might be seen as the odd one out since you are magical while the rest of your family isn't. To the ones in power, non-magical, to not be a witch or a wizard is considered abnormal. You've seen how separated the wizarding world is to the mundane world. To them, muggles are illiterate, abnormal savages if not beasts. Non-magicals at one time were, and a few remnants of that time still exist in the world. However after the secrecy act passed, most purebloods haven't set foot outside of magical districts."

"Look at history though. The Grand Empires or Rome or-"

"Egyptian, Mayan, Incan and several others. What happened to them? They all fell, even the British Empire did. After Rome fell, all indoor plumbing in the muggle world stopped until the last few centuries. The wizarding world, if you want to think of it that way, has had indoor plumbing since the Egyptian 'Old' Kingdom."

"Huh. So how do you know all this?"

"I read, infer, and sample what both worlds have to offer. I'm not a "muggle-lover," they've destroyed huge tracts of the earth for resources, which they wage wars over, pollute the air to drive, killed or led to the extinction of several hundred thousand if not millions of species. However they have had several good ideas, electricity, technology, radio -which has been adapted to the magical world-, chemistry, physics, several humanities or arts and more diverse food."

"Really? Food? But I've heard that their hasn't ever been a bad meal made at Hogwarts."

"That's true, but it'll all be British fare unless you ask otherwise. If you're in magical Britain you'll eat British and like it. Same for France, Italy and everywhere except the U.S. There is no, 'let's eat Chinese tonight' in most wizarding households. It's English fare or bust."

"Anything else that they didn't mention that I should know? And why is the U.S. the exception?"

"Plenty, I plan to write a better book than the ministry sanctioned, 'So You Are Magical.' That lot of pulp and parchment has been around since the Victorian Era. Ti's very similar to the muggle studies -an elective class offer to third years and above- in that way."

"Muggle studies?"

"A course you don't want to take if you're muggle-born or a half-blood with strong ties to the mundane world. They can't spell various muggle devices names correct and half the time the pronunciation is wrong, out and out mangling it. They don't cover how muggle governments work or what fields they study. The magical world is a bit outdated. Cars are 'horseless carriagges' to them and just FYI, anything that seems to move under it's own power from here on out, excepting this train, is pulled by animals or is charmed or created to do so. It's just the way the world works."

"So no wizarding culture class?"

"Was taken out before Dumbledore took the Headmaster position."

"So getting back to Dumbledore-"

"Betting pool remember?"

"Uh, sorry. Soo-o wand cores and woods match people's personalities?"

"To an extent Miss, I just realized I never got your name."

"Ali Walker, Mr.-"

"Call me, Talon."

"Talon?"

"Nickname. I actually like you, thus you get to call me that. Quick lesson, using someone's first name means you're familiar with them, or rather friendly or close to them, or family. Use a last name to someone in a position of power over you, or an acquaintance. Nicknames are reserved for close friends and family. Inviting someone to use your first name means you want to get to know them. If you introduced yourself as Ali, Ali Walker, that means that you want friendship or an alliance. If you go and introduce yourself as Walker, Ali Walker, that means you're talking business or see yourself as superior than who you are introducing yourself to. Also, you're not getting my actual name, I rather dislike it and I don't want you to be biased as my family has a rather colorful history which you will find out later.

"Also, back to the wand cores and woods, they tend to be more of a dominate trait or a strong trait at least."

"So someone with an apple wood and dragon-"

"Bad combo. Wouldn't work all that well, and have a strong tendency to set things aflame. The apple is far to submissive a wood to challenge the heart-string so after a few uses the magic conducted through it would wood would catch on fire."

"Really?"

"Also, you have no potential as a Slytherin, and goo thing too. The purebloods would eat you alive."

"My mother is a witch and my father, well my mother hinted that she shared several classes with him... but I don't know for certain."

"Ah, your mother is muggle-born I take it? So you're muggle raised. You know your father's name, first or last?"

"She's never said."

"Ah, you'd make a decent Griffyndor, but you'd be more suited to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. It depends if you're asking questions for knowledge sake or trying to get comfy in a strange world."

"And you are a half-blood."

"Pureblood. A very knowledgable one."

"So, I've heard about this game called quidpidge."

"Quidditch. You're lucky I'm not a fanatic or I'd be shocked at how much you mangled it."

"So, what's the point of the seeker getting the like hundred plus points? It's not fair."

"You're definitely a 'Puff, Ali. Innate sense of fair play and justice. That takes loyalty to your team and respect to the other team. You're seeking knowledge for comfort of others, so you'll be a 'Puff. Not a bad house, just not the best rep, but all houses have their strengths and weaknesses."

"So, what do you want to do now? I mean there's a few things I want cleared up."

The duo spent the rest of the ride discussing the differences between the two worlds, things that didn't make any sense, magical or mundane, history and food once again when the trolley lady came by. That led to a discussion on economics which led to history and goblin rebellions and other magical creatures and that led to careers that worked with them. Needless to say, when the intercom said five minutes to the station, they put the conversation on hold till another day. Ali, somewhere around the history section of the debate had taken notes, which Orion had found horrendously funny since she now had ink-stained fingers and a smudge on her face, since she was unused to writing with a quill which he had transfigured into a fountain pen, which was easier to use.

Orion, surreptitiously cast a cleaning charm upon her, and a few hexes upon some of the upper classmen which would take effect once in their common rooms. There were advantages when living with two master pranksters, the least of which was learning how to modify a spell.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N; I now have a laptop. No more annoying little brother whining to mom to kick me off the computer! *celebrates* I love my aunt. The wireless Internet hates me though...DX

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Chapter 3- A Surprising Sorting

Orion escorted Ali, down the dark path to the boats, following the groundskeeper's lantern light. As they followed the half-giant to the boats, Orion helped a few obvious muggleborns with a few problems. If a guy has a robe on backwards there is a reason to be slightly concerned. They admittedly mousy muggleborn who should be kept away from any and all things sugar boarded their own boat along with a red head in decent but slightly shabby robes.

They came around the bend and 'ohhed' and 'ahhed' in the appropriate places. Orion just wasn't expecting to see a camera flash from the mouse. He vowed a prank in return for screwing with his night vision. Apparently neither was another firstie as she fell into the water. Her shipmates pulled her up back into the boat.

They passed through the ivy curtain, Orion looking at the vine strength wondering if they could support a person's weight. Minerva McGonnagall met them in the antechamber, explained the house system and the bribery cup, and left the room, presumably to get the hat and stool set up. Then the ghosts swarmed in. They frightened the new initiates to magic, and the Deputy Headmistress then scared the hoard away plus one.

"Come along to get sorted now." She said briskly motioning for them to follow her. The group 'wowed' collectively and Orion anticipated the camera flash thus managing to not get blinded by it.

She then marched up to the staff table and started calling names.

"Ash, Holly."

She was short, blond, and probably bouncy when not soaking wet.

"Griffyndor!" The table broke out into rambunctious applause.

"Behr, Merrick."

He was exotic, foreign, with a strong disposition and a stately walk.

"Slytherin!" The house broke into polite clapping.

"I'm up now." He whispered to Ali.

"Bl-Black, Orion." It was funny how deathly quiet it became until he started walking towards the hat. The students broke out in whispers and faces changed as the news was broke. The staff table wasn't even exempt either. Dumbledore lost his twinkle while Snape was shaking in rage. Sprout's face darkened and Flitwick remained the only head of house to maintain a show of calm. He was more than likely fingering his wand where Orion couldn't see him. Sinistra didn't care as she'd much prefer her breakfast, and the elective professors –if they were even there- were just as misbehaving as the Heads of the Houses –minus Flitwick.

Speculations ran wild and rumors came to life in an instant. The rumors ran rampant and information was dispelled throughout the room. Needless to say it was instant chaos and all attention was upon him.

He loved it.

He hated it.

He tolerated the distorted symphony of chaos that it was. His appearance wasn't worth that much attention.

He walked in between the tables towards the hat while they watched with a wonder bordering upon awe. When Orion reached the stool the Deputy placed the old piece of cloth upon his head looking visibly worried. He then grinned wickedly at her, just for fun and to see if she'd flinch. To his great delight she looked a bit more unnerved.

'_Oh, look here a Black! It's been a while since I've had a look at one of you.'_

'Do you engage in small talk with everyone?'

'_No I don't, and for good reason! Some have naught by echoes of my own voice and fluff in here! Now to start your sorting young man. _Hmm_… you're highly intelligent, scarily so if I must say. There's ambition and courage, hard work and loyalty as well.'_

'Care to hurry up there?'

'_I'd say Slytherin but I get the feeling that the house or the castle wouldn't survive the week. Griffyndor is a no as well, since the hot heads would like nothing more than to rip you to shreds and that's not what I'm here for, especially since you'll get them back ten fold.'_

'_If you dare suggest Hufflepuff, I will pull you apart thread by thread, and then unwind the fire retardant charms and set you alit with the most stubborn fire spell I know and you now know.'_

'_You recreated the Greek fire spell? Nicely done, if I must say.'_

'_Go ahead and put me with the 'Claws. I'm less likely to kill or maim them all. No worries about ambushes in the common room with my reflexes sending an experimental charm or hex in their face. Not to mention I'd have to deal with my dear cousin all the time in the common room and I really don't want to deal with him and whatever groupies he may have if I'm in Slytherin and I don't want to have the same stigma as Uncle so again no Griffyndor for me. The 'Puffs, well some look ready to keel over at the moment.'_

'_Ravenclaw is for the knowledge seekers-'_

'_You've seen what I've done for a book before. I enjoy them, adore them actually. You've seen how many times I've fallen asleep on the library couch.'_

'_To be fair it seems to be an exceedingly comfy couch and you really jumped off a cliff for a book?'_

'_Yes, now would you sort me and be done with it?'_

'_Not worried about me spilling all your secrets young Black?'_

'_You were made by Godric true, but Salazaar bespelled you. So I'm not if he wasn't.'_

'_You may have strong Slytherin and Griffyndor tendencies but you're best suited for-'_

"_**Ravenclaw**!"_

After he handed the hat back to professor with a decided smirk, he started to walk to the table in silence before some overcame their shock and started clapping. He was immediately surrounded by questions, notably from pureblooded ravens.

"Are you the son of Sirius Black?"

"How did he escape Azkaban after a year spent in there?"

"Why did he betray the Potters?"

"Honestly people, as much as I love the man I'm glad he's my Uncle and Godfather and not my Father. Besides you're making him seem like a malicious monster."

In the stunned silence that followed the Deputy Headmistress continued the sorting. He clapped for the next few sortings as they were to people who he was distantly related to, or a 'Claw. Let the Slytherins make what of it that they will, there was a reason that he was sitting on that side of the table. Sometimes he hated to come from such an influential and well connected family.

He really didn't care for them much at all, and Draco in only the fact that he was family, even if he was a second cousin. He'd play nice for a bit or until they annoyed him or the upper years tried to make a power play on him.

A loud crashing noise followed and Snape went to the disturbance. The animagi professor looked slightly less than pleased when Gryffindor went into the black.

"So you're Regulus' son then?" A pureblooded 'Claw named Davies asked.

"Yes, I am. I'll answer questions later. I'm watching the sorting."

"Lovegood, Luna." Said the animagus.

"Ravenclaw!" Shouted the hat.

Luna sat next to him at the feast and took a look at him, nodded and watched the sorting continue. The rest of the sorting seemed to fly by ending with the sole female Weasley, and according to rumor the heiress of the Prewett legacy ending in the same house as the rest of her family. His train companion went to the 'Puffs. He thought it slightly strange that she went from a deep brown hair color to what could almost be described as a very light tan color. That indicated Elvish roots -and not the pathetic house elves either- somewhere and he mentally went over the families that had Elvish blood in their veins.

The Headmaster gave his speech, introduced this year's defense professor, a Gildroy Lockheart who looked ready to make a speech on the importance of hair care, given the fact that he gave the Creevy boy, now a Gryffindor a bottle of shampoo. His first targeted prank of the year was carried out well, and should be bearing fruit in the morning. It would serve him right for causing that first year to get soaked and ruining several people's night vision. Then the feast was served.

As the feast dragged on, he deflected and answered questions like a true Slytherin from the upper years who knew where the kitchens were so they weren't the least bit afraid to miss any part of the feast, which meant a multitude of answers that weren't really answers. The 'Claws had contacts throughout all the houses and would be meeting with some of them at all levels except maybe the first and second years, who would more than likely be notified by their housemates.

After he finished his meal he chatted with Luna and the 'Claw sitting next to him, a second year named Su Li. She immediately opened up when he asked how she was in passable Mandarin Chinese. He got the feeling he shouldn't have done that. While the Ravenclaw table was used to hearing all sorts of languages and extreme metaphors spoken a great many were surprised that he could speak Chinese, if a bit haltingly which quickly disappeared, and there was no doubt that it would make the rounds tonight. Apparently her mother was the Chinese ambassador -a pureblood- and her father was also from an old family, which mattered next to nothing here since the British purebloods had a wand or three stuck up their arses. He agreed with her statement and added to it. His amendment was accepted, and thus had a tentative friend in Su Li, who was a master of court politics.

Unfortunately for him, and he said this to Su Li, that it seemed like that all his year-mates in the house seemed to be a bit close minded and that he wanted to dare them all to find records of his Uncle's trial pardoning the blond next to him because her family had some of the most open minds on the planet and its respective planes. He won some brownie points from Su Li from that statement, which won him a warning of one of the third years a Cho Chang, whose family had seemed to have completely adopted the British ways as their own. After all, she didn't understand what they were saying after all and what family that honored their ancestors forgot their language?

The Ravenclaw Prefects, most of which seemed to be utterly forgettable led them to the Eagle Knocker, which gave them a riddle. Luna answered, to most of her yearmates chagrin, most of them being muggleborn or half-bloods and believing in anything except which seemed most absurd. He mentally labeled them all idiots, some of which could be salvaged.

They were then lead to their dorms, which unlike the the other houses, pardoning the upper year Slytherins who could claim a room in the dungeons, were set in a suite like setting. The first room entered in the dorm had tables and chairs and bookshelves -a smaller common room if one will- with five doors leading to rooms with two beds and the last and sixth door leading to the bathroom with two showers. There were seven new male Ravenclaws. He luckily got one to himself since his roommate and his new friends dragged his trunk out of the room. It really didn't matter, since he doubted that he'd sleep in here all that often. He took out his wand and cast a few detection spells along with a few ward revelers. The detection spells showed that all was normal, a few spells keeping the room at an even temperature all around the room, a cushioning on the bed, a ward that keeps the room temperature the same even if the window was opened.

All in all, it was a fairly standard room or would be for at least a moment or five. He took out a few strips of parchment, quickly scribbled some runes and characters on them and put a sticky charm on them and placed them on the inside of his four postured curtain bed. It totally made it seem like a person was there, and a silencer on it. That and he disillusioned the pieces of parchment with disturbing ease.

He charmed the curtains to be a darker blue and reflect the night sky. A totally useless charm otherwise but Witch's Weekly did have some handy charms around in it, if one dared to look. He made sure that the glamor on his trunk was still active by charging the runes once again, and tied the glamor to the alarm spell he set up on his floor just in the door's reach, customized it to where it would activate anytime the door was opened enough to see it, and buried it under a custom spell that hid it from all but the most stubborn of detection spells. He put up an obvious alarm spell, two basic wards around the door and bed, and a third ward that was buried and would activate at a later time, like around lunch, and color them purple.

He then walked back into the actual Ravenclaw common room, and faced the inquisition there, answering to some questions here and there. Very few were about him, a few that had Slytherin family members or ties to the Slytherins were the ones that asked. He left them with more non-answers, not falling for the conversation pitfalls or word traps. He had to applaud them for they had the Slytherin Arte of Conversation down to a fine art. Unfortunately the 'Slytherin Arte of Conversation' destroys all hope in humanity and their reasons.

As it reached closer to nine thrity, he made his excuses, and went to his room, where he set up a few more basic wards and left his room.

He then changed into his animagus form, a cute little falcon, with dark coloring and went out the window to the owlery to spend the night. It would be mostly empty till daybreak when they'd come back in droves, waking him up. It wasn't like he needed much sleep, a running trait of the Black family was slight to moderate insomnia and he had needed less after he had accomplished his transformation the first time and was dubbed with the name of 'Talon' or 'Talos' whatever you preferred which was much better than his Uncle's suggestion of 'Tweety.' His Uncle spent the next two days alternating in speaking and singing like Tweety and randomly sprouting yellow feathers before he yielded.

-Teacher's Lounge-(9:04 PM)

Flitwick found Severus' ire to be extremely funny, so long as it wasn't focused upon himself. The man's rage was extremely potent and unlike others his rage while hot was extremely calculating.

Pamona, bless her soul, was still under the impression that young Orion was Sirius' son, and he didn't want to break her poor heart by saying otherwise. It was obvious that he was Regulus' son, since Regulus was far more a Ravenclaw than a Slytherin, but Slytherin enough that he didn't bring his problems to the then head of house, Horace Slughorn. Flitwick had heard all about his life, being his confident and he could without a doubt name young Orion's mother if all went well after Hogwarts. He sincerely wished that he inherited Regulus' flare for tinkering with spells. While Lily Evans was a charms prodigy in most of the sense of the word, if he had to choose on who to apprentice he would choose between young Regulus and young Lily, he'd have to choose young Regulus. The man loved to break down charms and adapt them, and while it might take him a while to figure it out, the charm would work.

"But Severus, he's lived with that, that criminal for ages. While he might be a good kid we need to provide a positive influence and keep him away from that betrayer!"

"Good! Kid! When he has been raised by Sirius Black! When did you loose your mind Pamona!"

"I concur with Severus, for once." Minerva stated. "He gave me this wicked grin, the one that Sirius always gave when he was going to get into trouble and no one could stop him."

"I think he acts more like a young Regulus myself, I bet five gallons on him being his son." Fliwick countered. "Regulus, although a Slytherin, was very close to becoming a Ravenclaw. I asked the hat that one year exactly how close he was when I almost gave points to Ravenclaw for asking specifics of a charm usage."

"Regulus!" The room and all decorum flew out the window. Sinistra sighed dreamily to Rolonda's Quidditch chatter. Severus lost what little control he had over his temper, while Kettleburn yelled back at the man, eventually falling to the potion master's acidic tongue. Lockheart, uselessly tried to get between the two, and Minerva caught him when Kettleburn banished him towards the wall. She then dragged Pomona over and started yelling at Kettleburn for hexing a fellow teacher, and then at Severus for loosing his temper. Dumbledore was content to let chaos reign supreme for a bit longer. They all took the bet though.

This was the scene that the Head boy, Percy Weasley and the Ravenclaw Prefect Penelope Clearwater saw when they entered the room.

"Don't worry, the professors are just excited about the new term." Flitwick would have payed money to see Severus rip a new one into Albus just then. At the moment Serverus' facial expression would have to do since it implied, 'I cannot believe you said that with a straight face and if those two believe it, I'll loose all respect for them!' and 'That had to have been one of the largest loads of dragon dung that he'd ever seen delivered at one time!' Severus, once you could read him, was really impressive in his expressions.

"If you say so, Headmaster." Percy said with a non answer that both himself and Severus approved of. "I was just escorting Penelope here, she said she wanted to speak to her head of house about a few first years." Percy then left the room so quickly that you'd swear that he had apparated out.

"Well, Miss Clearwater, is young Orion Sirius' son or Regulus' son?" Flitwick asked before Serverus started whatever statement he had planned and no doubt that it would be vicious.

"Professor, he said that even though he loved the man, he's glad that he's his Uncle and Godfather."

"I thought that Sirius severed all ties with his family after they kicked him out." Minerva, the silly tabby, never seemed to get the idea that family ties could be re-established, preferably where no one could see them.

"Apparently not." Severus was more than likely thinking that the two brothers put on a ruse in front of the entire school and was more than likely reviewing the last few years of his schooling in his mind with this new information.

The room descended into chaos again, but the last thing the Percy and Penelope heard while the portrait was swinging shut was Flitwick's squeaky demands that they all paid up.

"That just decided for me. I'm going to work in the ministry. How about you my darling?"

"Only if you give me a goodnight kiss my dear Percy." With a chaste kiss that eventually came just came short of a full blown snog when they broke apart, Penny regaining her senses. "We just snogged in front of the teacher's lounge, the professors are-"

Percy laid a finger upon her lips and whispered, "There is a reason that the hat put me in Gryffindor after all Penny." With another chaste kiss, he picked her up and carried her to the Head Suite. While Percy may have been a Gryffindor, that didn't mean he wasn't Slytherin enough to put some sleeping powders into his brother's goblets so that there was at least one night where he could be alone with his beloved.

Vaguely he wondered if anyone noticed that if anyone looked at the patrolling schedule that his and Penny's paths crossed a lot, but that thought was soon left behind when Penny pulled him onto the four poster bed and started to pull off the robe teasingly slow, while moving her free hand across his chest, reaching his tie and pulling in towards a steamy kiss.

It was such a nice way to christen such a wonderful room, that was all his. Somehow he doubted that her bed this year would see much use especially if she kept nibbling on his ear like that.

-Owlery-(9:37)

It took him a few passes to find the owlery, and in the meantime he got a nice aerial view of the school's extensive grounds. He changed back into his human form, and pulled a mirror out of his pocket.

"Sirius." He said to the mirror.

Remus answered the mirror. "Yes, Talon?"

"Why do you have Uncle Siri's mirror?"

"It was in my pocket,-"

"So why are you wearing his pants then?"

"I'm not. I was just in Padfoot's room to get something of mine."

"That doesn't explain why you're not wearing pants."

"I just got out of the shower, and I'm looking for my shoes, again."

"You should stop getting tasty shoes then. I'm in Ravenclaw."

"Sirius owes me money then."

"Really? For the shoes or the house? And what no fuss? No, 'My little surrogate nephew is all grown up and at Hogwarts!' I feel unloved."

"Played your first planned prank yet?"

"On a fellow first year. Now I want to talk to Fen so night Moony."

"Get some sleep already. I am."

"Yes, because you are a tired old werewolf."

"I resent that old comment. You shall pay for it."

"Get me Fen then, and I shall see about letting you."

"SARAFINA! You're wanted on the mirror!"

"Hey! What about me!" Sirius yelled back.

"You'll get it later, after she goes to bed!" Remus relayed to Padfoot. "Besides, you'd have answered it first if you hadn't chewed on my shoes again!"

"What!" Orion heard Siri yell. "How dare you accuse the Great and Noble Padfoot as doing something as common as chewing on shoes!" He sounded to be near the room now, maybe in the hall even.

"Hiya Talon!" He heard suddenly. A quick grab of the mirror showed a well-endowed girl of about fourteen or sixteen. Her hair was dark brown before flashing to purple, then she hexed the two men in the room and walked out to her room. She then changed her hair to a blinding white color short and spiky with a couple of long shoulder length strands beaded and braided on one side.

"Hi Fen. Are you supposed to be that old?"

"Nope!" She giggled. "And what kind of question is dat? You're acting like Da numero dos."

"And how did you manage to sneak past him in your current form?"

"I siced Mama 'gainst dem. I was in the room wid her when Remy called for moi."

"The more things change-"

"De more dey stay the same. Still don't miss ya, dough."

"Same here. Go to bed. That's what I'll be doing."

"Dat's boring dough, but it be bedtime anyways. Night birdbrain!"

"Night brat. Hand the mirror to Pads though." He said back. A little fumbling showed that Fen had changed back into her usual brat self before handing the mirror back to Sirius.

"Hello, my favorite nephew. What are you doing this fine night?"

"Missing Ralpheal. I'm a 'Claw so I'll drown my misery in books and curse the fact that Hogwarts robes are unflattering for everyone except me."

"Oh, I remember those robes and I cursed their existence several times. Please make sure you don't cause a book-a-lanche. I doubt anyone will dig you out because of my reputation."

"Speaking of, I did some damage to it today. I spoke to a Chinese girl, and apparently she's the Chinese ambassador's daughter, to the British MoM. Since I told her in Chinese that I wanted to dare them to find the trial transcripts, since you were entitled to a trial as a member of an influential house even if you had been informally disowned. I spent most of the time in the Ravenclaw common room explaining your side of the story and how easy it is to manipulate evidence."

"Ah, so the fact that I'm a free man in several other countries doesn't count for shit? Typical British."

"Anyway, I'm expecting a guest for tomorrow's lunch. Feel like handing some Fudge off to Cissa?"

"Sounds good. Now get to bed. Bye my adorable little nephew. Congrats on Ravenclaw." Sirius then broke the connection and decided to find Moony and the reason on why he was wearing his pants.

Orion then thought about it and decided to get some rest for himself. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? He had a pretty good idea and didn't need to be crabby for it, his limited patience was already feeling the need to unloaded on tomorrow's visitors.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N; I hate ANY and ALL forms of BUREAUCRACY! It's a mutual hatred we share of each other.

Also to my most consistent reviewer Lady Isabella Black, you'll find out eventually if he is or not. Around Orion's fourth year to be exact. Doesn't mean that you won't get hints and clues though.

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**Chapter 4- Morning Morons**

Orion liked to think of himself as a patient man, well boy, er guy. That sounded much better than boy. However he had looked back into his room and cast a few diagnostic spells -rather tricky spells that took far more control than power- upon his elementary wards. It seemed to be that there would be several Ravenclaws turning purple for lunch today. If he timed it right, -proving once again that people are predictable- that would be when they had visitors. He knew he should have gone with blue instead to show house support. The results of his revealers came back. A notebook of his had a tracking charm upon it. He focused and touched his hand upon it -after making sure that the charm stayed upon the book and didn't crawl onto him thank the gods for his charmed sunglasses- looking for who had stuck the charm upon it. When he found out who it was he wasn't all that surprised, just more surprised at the method Dumbledore had used to obtain it.

It was still obscenely early for most everyone else mostly because the British loved their morning lie-ins and the Americans -not just those from the US of A- didn't. He had a habit of waking up around five-thirty in the morning and jet lag wasn't going to change it. So he decided to go down to the common room, and get his schedule written down. He blamed Canada, and the long and embarrassing story that Canada was a featured part in for his early -rise with the bleedin' sun- tendencies.

Unlike everyone else the Ravenclaws had long since figured out how the schedule was arranged and thus had every year's schedule figured out. The first years this year mostly had classes with the Gryffindors, pardoning Transfiguration (which was taught to separate houses until third year) Herbology (with the 'Puffs), Potions (with the Slytherins). Charms, History of Magic, Astronomy, and the to be introduced later flying classes were with Gryffindor.

After getting his books for his classes into his book bag that he had charmed personally, it now being such a dark blue that it could be mistaken for being black, with the Black Family crest on the corner of one side and his house crest upon another and had several nifty security features upon it. He really just hoped that no one ever investigated it fully and would take the elementary wards and charms at first glance value. He had several banned books in there along with some restricted books for certain specialties in certain fields. He really hoped that the Hufflepuff Ali kept that information about wand theory to herself, but more than likely it was awash in all the other info he had dumped upon her. He'd have to make a call and arrange for a meeting between his bishop and soon to be knight. He did and his bishop wasn't too happy about the early morning wake up call.

It was still way too early for most people to even consider getting up so he boredly flicked his dog tags on his collar, it was obscenely comfy so he forgot it was there most of the time. At the moment his collar was disillusioned and he wanted it to stay that way. He quickly took a hot shower and dressed for the day, decided to leave his hair down after brushing it while it was wet. It reached a few inches past his shoulders, and today his hair had a rather subtle purple highlights to it. He hated the fact that his metamorphic talents were not up to Fen's level but at least they were better than his Uncle's which were just enough to subtly change his features and their color slightly -very slightly. His Uncle preferred glamors over his metamorphic talents since they helped him blend in better than his metamorph talents, in the various places where he was still wanted anyway. Runic glamors were a complete and total bitch to come up with but they weren't destroyed by a simple 'finite' either. Then there was the fact that they then had to be inscribed or inked upon a thing or person. His collar for instance was on a relatively permanent disillusion, only those who could see or sense magic -and it would have to be a very keen sense of magic to a point that would make bloodhound's nose envious in comparison, given that he was in Hogwarts- would know it was there or if they knew about the Marauder's map. In a way it was an extremely modified fedilus, to such a large degree that it really wasn't worth comparison. Dumbledore might know it was there, but not for it's purpose, and so would Alastor Moody if he showed up.

Still bored and with nothing to do, except wait for breakfast, he decided to browse the common room library. Some Ravenclaws, might be up at this hour but, only a few and if they really had to get up this early for such an example as last minute editing to an assignment. The Library after all opened at seven and closed at ten, breakfast during the week started at seven-thirty and on the weekends was severed up till ten from eight.

"Hello, Orion Black."

His browsing plans were immediately ruined, but this was his chance to pursue a Lovegood's knowledge? Of course he'd take the chance when offered like that. The Lovegoods were respected by the old families for a reason. The Lovegoods (well the family that became the Lovegoods) working with the Olliviander family made a vast majority of the 'modern' magic and spell theory! It used to be that it took weeks of preparation for a simple enchantment, such as the muggle deterrent or a notice me not on a plot of land and those could fall very easily and they were done by ritual- a long and annoying ritual that took a full month to prepare for and could easily be disrupted. The Lovegoods were the ones that finally put magic in the stones, well to be more precise, they figured out how to use runes/language in magic and made most of the modern day Arithmancy to make more efficient spells -effectively making a ritual that took a month of preparation and whose protection only lasted a year take nothing more than week and would last five years, and then the Ollivanders -that devious family- happened upon focus-crafting.

The Ollivianders figured out how to focus the energy present in everything and with the help of the a few Lovegood family members made most of the magic theory and then 'wand' theory. Yes the Ollivianders purposely went to wands as they were easier to conceal upon a person when the wizarding world retreated from the muggle world. It was why Olliviander kept such careful track of the wands he sold and was gleeful whenever he had a tricky customer as a way to elevate the 'theory' of wands. Random selections he did not make, even if a person tried "half the store" there was another half that was immediately eliminated from that person's choice. There was a reason after all why most people were measured upon getting their wand, even miscellaneous data -such as the distance between nostrils- it was a way to further wand theory and the math behind it, and the Ollivanders were some of the best, often getting the wand in less than ten tries. Most other foci fell out of practice when the Ollivianders -and the rest of the foci-crafters later- switched to just wands, partly because the spells were being sent through a different medium and only a few worked between them easily. Most spells that could be sent through let's say a ring only had a few movements available to it, limiting the number of 'spells' that could be channeled through it. Gloves had a bad habit of backfiring if used in conjunction with your wand hand, but they were far more versatile than wand at movements, but just a tad too much and such was easy to mess up with even if you had steady hands. Knives and anathemas were banned when most rituals were banned for being 'dark.'

The ICW effectively banned the lot of them for being 'obvious to the muggles we're separated from.' Staffs and swords, Orion could understand, but knives, anathemas, rings and gloves? That just didn't seem fair at all. Besides he had several bracelets that could work in emergencies. Bracelets and necklaces were the only things not outlawed, mostly because of the incredible amount of focus needed to work the damn things, they were just highly discouraged. It was once said that a good way to test to see if you had the control and power needed for wandless magicks was to try it first through a bracelet. The only spells he could do were the levitation and the shield charm.

"Hello, Luna Lovegood." With an internal shudder he realized that she practiced Fae manners, oh joy. There were few things more complicated than 'Pureblood manners', or even Elvish manners and the Fae were just one of them. It was why the vast majority of modern magical people never saw them. They had decided long ago that a large sum of them were just plain rude. That and to stay away from cold iron, they had basically abandoned this plane.

"The wackspurts stay away from you." She said in a perplexed tone. She tilted her head in confusion, showing off her radish earrings.

"People do the same, the wackspurts just investigate a bit more thoroughly and know to stay away." He stated with a slight nod to her direction.

"At least your head isn't infested by nargles." She replied in an exasperated dreamy tone of voice. Orion really wanted to know how she pulled that off.

"But a vast majority is. Tis a shame that if they lost them they wouldn't know what to do with their-self." His voice held some mock pity.

"Yes, like not finding the crumpled horned snorkack." Was that a compliment or not Orion had to wonder. It was a decidedly Fae comment.

"I haven't came across them in my travels, but I've heard that they are in Holland. Do you quest for them?" Orion totally would admit to being a bit out of his depth here.

"Daddy said that they were in Sweden, so we're going over there come spring. We may visit several times to make sure, in case we miss them." She snapped back in a lazy tone.

"Forgive me for doubting your Father, Luna Lovegood." He bowed as a sign of apology, no one was watching anyway -in pureblood politics bowing to someone who hadn't had an established a place far above him was a way of saying he was submissive to her and her whims or as a way of respect when it came to dueling. Often that it was considered a way of showing love or devotion or even admiration to a lady of class, the greeting was finished by kissing her hand or cheek depending on the pair's closeness, and apologies were much the same way, although the lady had the right to slap or jinx him if she didn't accept it. He doubted that it was a proper bow by Fae customs, but that was as much as he knew of them.

"You don't have to ask, Orion Regulus Black. It is rare that I meet someone with at least some knowledge of Fae customs. I shall let you get back to your browsing. I might suggest a book from the lowest shelf on the left of the fireplace." She said in a dreamily voice with a hint of giggles and much amusement behind it.

"I thank you for your advice Luna Lovegood."

To recap the conversation, Luna saw him and greeted him, and he returned her greeting. She then said that the wackspurts fled from him, wackspurts being annoyances that fed on ignorance, the O'Mally code was infamous in certain circles, some of which he was very familiar with. He then said that he was well-learned. She then complimented him, be it on his manners or knowledge he had no idea, so he said it was such a shame that many people couldn't think their own thoughts because of the nargles -roughly public opinion/brainwashing-, to the point that many couldn't function without them. She then commented on how rare it was to find someone like him. He flubbed it then, but she took his mistake in stride and told him her plans for spring break and possibly for that summer of the next few years. After he had apologized for his error she forgave him and gave him a hint of how to not allow that to happen again.

He searched out the books for something that pulled at him, Fae magic was not at all gentle -subtle yes, gentle no- so it would firmly latch on to his attention and focus upon the item he was looking for as soon as he saw it. So he browsed the titles mentally sorting them into categories of have read, haven't read and looks interesting, junk but may be useful, haven't read and must soon, and -the book Luna pointed out.

_'Otherworldly Court Manners' _by Skies Lovegood_._ He briefly wondered how his first name was pronounced since the family had a habit of switching between Greek and Latin based names. He decided it was to be pronounced like pysch-s.

If nothing else it would prove to be interesting and maybe a decent way to pass the time.

-Ravenclaw Common room-(7:49)

Flitwick walked into the common room for his new Ravens, and looked at the way they were all flocked together, well except for the second year Su Li and Regulus' son sitting on one of the few sofas chatting away in Chinese. Filius felt a bit ashamed for not helping his Ravens settle in as well as the could have since she was obviously more comfortable with Chinese than English and it seemed that Orion was able to speak it rather fluently with her. He'd have to bring the matter up sometime soon.

Filius handed their schedule out -if they hadn't copied it down first-, and then gave the firsties a basic map of the castle, highlighting the Great Hall, the classrooms and the easiest routes to them. Another point for Ravenclaw efficiency and some logic since they had the schedule for the year posted all this morning, even if a few were apparent slackers or still shell-shocked that magic existed and they were in a castle that taught it. Su Li and Orion chatted half in English and half in Chinese on their walk down to breakfast, led by Filius who had given a rather basic speech that was probably done every year.

Filius interrupted their chatting by saying, "Mr. Black, the Headmaster would like to see you after breakfast."

"Is that all Professor?" He replied in a very Slytherin manner, with an impassive face, nearly non-existent concerned or was it worried tone of voice, with an arch of an eyebrow to top it off.

"Oh, yes quite. Do have a good day Mr. Black and if you need assistance please come to me, as your father did." Flitwick squeaked.

"I shall if I need to." Orion said. "_Is he or the headmaster fishing or what!"_

_"Oh, certainly fishing."_ Replied Su Li in Chinese.

_"And such obvious bait as well. 'After breakfast'! I shall take him at his word of 'after breakfast' since he never specified when after breakfast or which breakfast specifically. He should be glad I won't take his arse to task, well quite yet. I have a Minister to destroy at lunch and a newspaper to laugh at today."_

_"Really now. How do you figure that?"_

_"Quiet obvious, there wasn't enough time to print an evening edition of the 'Daily Prophet' and so it shall be on the morning's paper. The Headmaster is trying to get more information and me on his side, by protecting me from the Minister. Fudge idiot he may be, at least knows how political maneuvers work, so he'll have a warrant for my arrest for 'informative purposes' by lunch. That's where I show exactly why I don't need anyone's protection and am quiet fine by myself."_

_"So it shall be how you English say, '_Dinner and a Show' no?"

"Exactly Su Li. _Breakfast today and tomorrow might have a slight one as well. The first year with the camera should look like Medusa by now. Pranks, politics and the asinine, sounds like a typical day."_

_"I think I shall just ally with you because you're one of the few people to get politics here. These Slytherins, there is nothing that I've found that is cunning about them. One or two might have potential, but they do not think that allies can be helpful even if they are not from the same country that they hail from. That and the reactions shall be interesting. The rumors by now should be horrific."_

_"Ah, yes, that they shall be. Naive little mice."_

_

* * *

_

Breakfast had been interesting, seeing big burly upperclassmen shy away from a firstie. While they may be idiots to not see that he was outnumbered and outgunned, didn't mean they weren't wrong to shy away. He had read a portion of the Black family library after all.

The camera kid, was glaring at the Slytherins for all his and the rest of the collective first years of Godric's house worth, with only the Weaslette's remotely effective. He really wasn't thinking about the coloring but it only further implicated the Slytherins. Really, his hair was now a mix of baby boomslangs, anders, and a runespoor of all things! He probably took a picture of himself before getting mad at the Slytherins. Never let it be said that the Lion house had any brains.

With his hair the way it was styled today -it was wavy, mostly loose and he had some of his bangs tied back with a leather tie, leaving him with a muggle elvish look- it would take most people a few minutes to recognize him. He helped himself to breakfast and struck up a conversation with Davies about Quidditch. He was biting into a piece of jam covered toast when the owls delivered the newspapers. Gasps and shocks rang throughout the hall. He imagined that by lunch he'd have a few howlers and 'fan-mail.'

"Can I see the paper when you're done, Davies?"

"Sure, I only read it for Quidditch anyway."

_**HOGWARTS CHILDREN IN DANGER?**_

_This reporter certainly thinks so and with good reason! There is a Black back in Hogwarts! According to info and sources of this reporter, there is a new Ravenclaw named Orion Black!_

_As many people know there is only one Black that escaped the swift justice of the Ministry and Azkaban- Sirius Black! The famed betrayer of the Potters to You-Know-Who! The only man to have ever escaped Azkaban! Killer of Peter Pettigrew and thirteen muggles!_

_Sources state that young Orion is Sirius' nephew, and godson! One can only wonder what happened to his father, Regulus Black who was the Lord Black of the time of his mysterious death and what about Orion's mother! Was she and her family killed by this mad murderer and conniving convict? Was it a mad man's quest for Lordship?_

_Is it too late to save this young man from the Elder Black's insanity? One can only imagine the trouble and hardship he has endured under guardianship of the mass murderer Sirius Black._

_For more info on _

_The life and terrors of Sirius Black pg 2_

_Sirius Black's Escape and theories of it pg 3_

_The Capture of Black and its Death Toll pg 4_

_The Black History of the Black family pg 5_

Orion let out a quiet chuckle that turned into a full blown laugh, cementing in many people's mind that,_ yes, he was insane and proud of it. _The insane, throaty and deep laughter did its job though and thoroughly unnerved several people who were coming over, including the Deputy Headmistress who was sent on a trip down memory lane by the laughter and it wasn't a pleasant trip either.

He then turned to page three, and quickly read over the theories and then the supposed histories. "Here ya' go Davies, and as for the theories, I'll have to say that none of those would ever work and Uncle often comments that it was a rather freezing swim. One he doesn't wish to repeat. I don't blame him, it was winter after all."

"Uh, sure." Davies said automatically, more than slightly un-nerved by his maniacal laughter.

"Swam?" Some random Gryffindor asked, she had walked over to the table when she had finished the paper. The Gryffindor was one of the first to finish reading and come over with righteous anger showing in every step. Personally, he thought that she should take her anger out on her parents for giving her such unruly hair and large teeth."Is that possible?"

"Yes, it is. It is also something that he'd rather not have to do again -even though he was a Gryffindor, hence why we take several precautions to not be caught." This caused several of the Gryffs to look at each other in fright.

"So why come to Hogwarts in the first place Black?" Chang asked her question echoed by several Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, including the Gryff he had dubbed 'Beaver.'

"Hm..." He deliberated on what to tell them, if he answered wrong he was doomed, right he'd get away and play a spectacular prank in the process. "Tradition."

"Trad-did-ition?" The answer seemed to monkey wrench any and all thought processes of the group.

"Yup. That and the library. Buh-bye now." Orion stated, then walked away, absentmindedly nibbling on his toast as he left the great hall since walking by the Slytherin table. The group then tried to walk away or follow him, stuck between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables.

"Hey, my shoes are stuck!" Chang cried out in alarm.

"Mine too!"

"Idiots, Finite Incantum!" Someone called out.

"That's a crappy finite Stewart!"

"You try it Moon!"

Ali Walker sighed and then went to catch up to her train companion. The 'Puffs had History today before lunch but after that the 'Puffs and the Slytherins had charms. But before history they had a short break -or long breakfast- before their first class, Potions and she really wanted to ask him about a few things. A quick glance told her that the stuck shoe problem was solely between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. And she had sat at the 'Claw side and not the Gryff side.

She made no excuses and decided to walk across the benches. Several other 'Puffs followed suite after loosing their shoes.

Minerva stood there in shock from Black's laugh for a good minute longer before she called for the staff to uncharm the floor. Though the shoes were quickly unstuck thanks to Dumbledore, McGonnagall banished the shoes back to the students they belonged to which made Albus' eyes twinkle. There was a reason that she was the transfiguration teacher and not the charms professor.

* * *

Minerva was rather angry at Mr. Black for that prank -and she knew it was him, she had taught his Uncle after all!-, then she took exception when he hadn't took any notes on her lecture, and then proceeded to be the first to change the matchstick to needle and then back. He then drawled out in an implacable accent asking what homework she'd assign at the end of class, so she spat back that he'd get his assignment with everyone else and that since he so easily got it he should help those less fortunate at their attempts. He then proceeded to help Miss Lovegood get hers there and back -slightly sloppy wandwork- before helping another student -who had a pronunciation problem, while she was still on her first student. As these students were Ravenclaws, they learned quickly and could observe their surroundings. As it was, she gave out her assignment fifteen minutes before the period ended, six-inches on similar transfigurations and readings from the book. It took them a few minutes to depart and then she looked the door with a simple locking charm. They had a rather short intense discussion, since after she gave the assignment she dismissed the class, except for Black.

It went like this-

"The Headmaster expected you before this class happened Mr. Black."

"Then he and his messengers should be more precise, 'after breakfast' is rather hard to specify after all. Which breakfast and how long is considered 'after' since from what I can tell and know there is no reason why I should be summoned up to his office."

"The Headmaster summoned you up to his office after breakfast."

"On what grounds? I haven't done anything to merit any disciplinary action, and seeing as how classes just started and I'm a first year there is nothing academic that needs to be discussed with him, and for the most part any and all academic matters is a matter discussed between the students and their heads of house. " He defended fiercely.

"Dumbledore just wishes to inquire about your health-"

"Then I should have been told to report to hospitable wing!"

"-and the matter of your guardianship."

"Guardianship? Why does it matter you or the Headmaster?"

"Albus is just looking out for your best interests-"

"Yes, like he probably plans for to be named my magical guardian and have use of the Black Wizengamut seat and votes like he does Potter's. I can look after myself." With that said, he unlocked the door with a muttered 'Alohamora,' and then walked out of the classroom -almost slamming the door in her face- and locked the room with a sixth year level locking or to be more accurate -sealing- charm. It was the Arabian/Spanish version of it, but that was the point of it, a 'ciertoportus.' Literally translated it meant, 'I close door/openings.' It was a muttered casting, but still verbal, unfortunately for the animagus she didn't know what he locked the door with since the door was closed and distorted his mutterings. The benefit of 'ciertoportus' over the English 'colloportus' was the fact that only he could open it back up. He then put up a two-way silencing ward, no sound out and no sound in.

Orion wandered off to his next class, a hint of satisfaction showing on his face. Even if she gave herself a cat-flap she wasn't going to get out of there for the next hour, since her charm skills were for one only decent, and two, rusty. He ran into Luna in the next corridor, along with a muggle-born Raven, the one Minerva had helped and sneered in a specified fashion, after a fierce glare. He helped Luna gather her stuff up with a few muttered charms. He then gave a glance and a once-over.

He seemed rather average, short cropped dark hair, blue eyes, and a bit full of himself. He carried himself well, in a military-esce stance, with good grooming. "You're not worth it." Orion said appraisingly, just to hammer a nail or two into his ego. He really didn't come to Hogwarts make friends, but he didn't come to deal with idiots either. He'd have to though.

"Why?" The militaristic muggle-born male muttered, barely restraining himself from snarling.

"You, just aren't worth the effort." Orion calmly answered, before turning his back upon him.

The new initiate to magic swung at Orion's back, only for his wrist to be caught, arm twisted and thrown over Orion's shoulder, then he hit -hard- the tapestry covering the castle wall before sinking to floor. The guy groaned in pain.

"I guess you're worth some effort after all. Just FYI, while muggle fighting might work with most every other pureblood, I'm exceedingly comfortable in both worlds. While I'm pretty sure that your family is shocked that you're magical, being from the South, specifically since you're from across the pond. Dad's in the military?"

"Yes." He hissed out.

"Thought so. Magical Britain is rather backwater compared to the Confederacy."

"But the Confederacy was abolished!"

"Not the magical one. Same with the U.S.S.R. Magical governments sometimes survive past the non-magical ones. Sometimes they don't, or they fall out of favor from the non-magical governments. The 'Fed's magical system is strange to the Brits, but it works extremely well, that and the South being as it is. Ever been to New Orleans?"

"No."

"Orlando?"

"No."

"Any state capital?"

"Nashville and Little Rock, but that was just passing through."

"Small town U.S.A?"

"The school my dad graduated from had thirty-five people his senior year. That was the largest graduating class on record."

"Which state and area?"

"West Tennessee."

"Towards Memphis or Union City or Jackson?"

"Why is it any of your business-"

"Because, in the US, you get this nice little pamphlet delivered by the mail service explaining to your parents that yes, you their child, is magical as soon as you preform your first few bouts of accidental magic. You later get a visit from some witch or wizard who's job it is to inform your parents on where to go and purchase supplies at. Most major US cities, specifically their state capital have a magical shopping district. Depending on what your parents choose, they'll send you to a private boarding school like this one, except Stateside you get a muggle education along side it or you get tutors and be home schooled in magic. Most who choose the tutor program drop out of muggle high school around their sophomore year."

"Huh?"

"Maintaining good scores in both worlds is a balancing act that most everyone fails at, the Confederates have it made in the south since you could literally have a vampire lead a tour through the city, claim he was a vampire and not be believed. That and most magic preformed there could be seen as street shows or tricks. Speaking of the Confederates, you have the revolutionary fire. That I like. I may not like you as a person, but even the most despicable have qualities that are worth admiring. Continually repeating a question is not one of them."

"Huh? Hey!" He said again as Orion stalked off.

"He's been around the world a few times." Luna simplified.

"Why is he telling me this anyway?"

"In pureblood politics, you have dishonored yourself by attacking him from behind. Until you prove yourself worthy or restore your honor to him, he's free to attack you once whenever -and more importantly however- he likes. However due to his family's reputation, having someone who's so obviously muggle-born next to him is good, just not for this year. He's going to have to use the Black family reputation for a good bit, before he starts on his personal reputation."

"Why? What? Use the family rep?"

"His Uncle is basically a wanted fugitive -has been for all the time that Orion's been alive-, just without the trial and conviction deal. His Uncle is wanted for a grand total of three magical and thirteen muggle homicides. His Uncle is the only person to have ever escaped from Azkaban in all of its dreary history, and it has been around since before Ceaser's time. Azkaban also tends to drive most prisoners insane in less than a year's time. One of his Uncle's cousins, Bellatrix LeStrange is the most feared witch in all of Britain and said to be one of the most insane in Azkaban. Another of his 'Aunts' is Narcissa, she is a socialite, but while she may not enjoy dueling, she is reputed to be as good if not better than Bellatrix, Bellatrix who once took on nine Aurors -magical pleasemen- by herself and killed seven of them during the duel. Narcissa is not in Azkaban and is considered to be a respectable pillar of the community. However she also can easily take down anyone with a word here and a word there and is considered to be a sympathizer to the pureblood cause- which is muggleborns are servant class and muggles are beasts. His last 'Aunt' is happily disowned, but she heads one of the divisions in St. Mungos, the magical hospital. She actually married a muggle-born -that's the cause of her disownment- and her daughter graduated from here last year. However Orion's father, was actually a Death Eater- someone who actually fought and killed muggles and muggleborns on the order of You-Know-Who. Don't bring it up around him, unless you want to have a hex thrown at you that can't be reversed."

"Scary family."

"Orion, could potentially be scarier than all of them, in both what the public perceives and the truth as it actually is. The power he wields as 'Lord Black' is close to what Dumbledore wields in certain circles, and then we get to the political ramifications of him being Lord Black."

"What ramifications?"

"He can, in an instant, if he so wishes, remove the Minister of Magic." Luna stated grimly.

* * *

-End of Chapter 4

A/N; Evil Cliffhanger I know. The following segments were cut from this chapter, mostly because I couldn't find a place to put them. Think of them as Omakes or Outtakes or explanations.

-Out take 1

Severus at the end of the day and having spent the night and then the day agonizing over the 'Black Brat' gave a good ten points to Ravenclaw, for handling the situation like a Slytherin. Well, for that and for giving him a laugh as the second year know-it-all and the youngest male Weasely were hit by shoes flying towards their faces -which then fell into their cauldrons- and then took five points off from Ravenclaw for the fact that he caused three explosions in the room before taking off several points for each infraction. Longbottom would have exploded his cauldron anyway, but they happened simultaneously. Nothing made him grumpier than botched potions and wasted ingredients. Waste not, want not. Economy and thriftiness had long worked its way into his character and being.

He then took out his grumpiness upon the messy Gryffs, -grumpiness caused by insomnia and the potion waste and the complete lack of talent shown by them in the potion field- and decided to squeeze all the pleasure he could by tearing the Gryffs to shreds. He'd reserved judgment until he had him in potions, a better way to judge someone he never knew. In potions the little things mattered, and the little things as the spy would say and knows first hand would give you away.

Really, he was loosing his touch, one of his prefects had recently called him a 'mother hen,' not so plainly, and not in front of him, but there was a reason that he was the Slytherin head of house. The look on his face when he had appeared from the shadows -like a vampire- and asked how they were settling in was beyond priceless! Hmm, he was reminiscing, so a quick solution needed to be found, "Finnigan! Don't you dare stir-"

-Out take 2

Poppy was rather worried. As matron of the hospital wing, she was always on call, always potentially needed to be. Thus she never ate at the staff table -potions and such that may be needed could not be found in the great hall-, and hardly visited the staff of Hogwarts. They came to her.

She however was worried. Several students throughout the day came to visit the hospital wing, complaining of shoes and boots to the head. At first she thought that it was the twins, as they seemed to be featured in most magical maladiess in this school, but when they came by -having grown beaks, feathers and fur- wishing that they were responsible for the strident shoes and belligerent boots, Poppy found out that they weren't.

The twin's chatter quickly caught her up to date. A Black was back in the school!

A shiver of fear creeped up her spine.

She decided to have a lie-in.

Mayhap it be a dream.

She hoped it to be.

She prayed so.

-Explaination of Orion's behaviour 1

"Quiet, there's a Snufflupagus in this hallway, it was following Orion."

"What's a Snufflupagus?" He questioned not quiet ready to ask why it was following Orion.

"It's a white oiliphant that is drawn to the scent of chaos and makes people act OOC."

"OOC?"

"Out Of Character. You can get rid of them by snubbing your elders and helping pretty ladies with monocles or by obscurely referencing bad puns. They come from the realm of madness. You see how quickly Orion informed you, this is out of character for the image he's striving for. He's banking on the big, bad and Black image and so helping muggleborns is OOC -even if he did throw you into a wall. You wouldn't loose your temper for such little reason as being snubbed and not getting it right?"

"Typically."

"Good. I typically wouldn't act like I'm infested with fye-gee-ants either."

"Huh?"

"I don't ever act this grim usually. It's a pleasant surprise really."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N; Yay! College life! Yay! Bureaucracy! It's totally annoying! Really it is. Orientation is/was annoyingly long but what else would you expect an all-female college. It was three days long.

A/N; Yes this chapter was started about the end of August. I'm still not happy with it.

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**Chapter 5- A Loving Lunch**

After leaving the hallway to go to charms, Orion was rather annoyed. Not just because he had made his Professor become trapped into her own room because she was being a rather unbecoming kitty. McGonagall had a clear dislike that was readily apparent even to the densest people of the school. (And knowing of the Crabbe and Goyle families that would be saying something about how transparent she was.) That's alright he had already planned a way to get back at her. It involved some heavy duty compulsion charms on the halls, and making fun of her animagus form. Really was he supposed to be impressed about her transfiguration skills?

Transfiguration was a precise science. Not an art, but a science. It basically boiled down to roughly half visualization (this including the knowledge of the shape and texture of the transfigured material), a quarter wandwork and a quarter of power and will. Without proper visualization you'd fail each and every time. Without precise wandwork your transfigured object will be ill-formed. A masterpiece wasn't made using ill-fitting strokes. Without enough power means that it will only go through half way, say shiny and pointy matchstick instead of a sharp and pointy needle. Without willing the magic to work then magic wouldn't flow meaning that your power would be severely undercut. Thus it was a science, since it needed preciseness and willingness to work.

The animagus shifting any magical person could do, as proven by vampires since they switch forms so often and they were dead! What basically happened when a witch or wizard took the animagus potion was they expanded the magical channels to the rest of their skin allowing more magic to flow there. The process was painful in the painful burning sensation way-not that any partaker of the potion knew since it immediately knocked them out cold and sent them into their subconscious to play. This was known as finding your form. He called them all short sighted self important idiots which is what they were.

What it actually did was turn them into what one could call a pseudo-metamorphagus or more accurately a way to artificially create metamorphagus for a small temporary amount of time with some risk of permanency–some of those characteristics stayed thus the animagus characteristics of acting like their animal- that person was unaware of their actual powers or the price they paid for them. Metamorphagus had the channels of magic all over which allowed the magic to change them and could control every bit of their body depending on their talent and control over their magic and emotions. His Uncle for instance could only change his features slightly. He couldn't give himself a pig snout but he could turn into a dog. The reason? Practice, repetition and repeat. Familiarity helped too. Dogs were a rather easy animal to study. They were pretty easy to mimic as well.

Hell, he had done an 'alternate' animagus form through working purely with his metamorphic talents -which was an exercise in will and belief. Mostly because after one ingests the animagus potion it forcefully expands the magic channels and then basically they're too fried to do anymore growing -and the fact that Sirius wouldn't let him brew the animagus potion. It's why the first few 'shifts' of whatever part you were shifting hurt so much in a typical transformation and was also a reason on why more than three fourths of those that attempt the transformation fail. They don't force the channel open enough to allow the full transformation once they had it forcefully expanded. The channel only stays open for a while, like a body piercing. After that it is set, it stays, and you're stuck. There is no gauging of your magical channels. You can only expand/perfect your form while the potion's effects are still in affect which lasts for as little as three months to a few years depending on which potion and how well it was brewed. If one were already a metamorphagus then ingested the animagus potion, one could kiss their transformation and possibly their animagus ability good-bye, mostly because it would kill you or cripple your abilities depending on how good you were. His Uncle's metamorphic abilities were next to nil because of it and after waking up from the animagus potion felt like he'd been hit by several pain curses unlike those without metamorphic abilities. Orion would end up like Sirius if he ever took the animagus potion, which would be a sight better than if he were Tonks. She would die from it –a slow lingering death by magical emission from her pores- she'd literally be leaking magic out of her body until she ran out, then she'd die.

In truth several magical creatures could assume different forms depending on how often the magic was used and the age of the user –the whole limber thing that applied to gymnastics and dancers applied similarly to magic meaning before the age of eight was best because the whole process of growing up would harden up bones and important stuff like magical channels. He actually knew a werewolf that was registered as an 'animagus' in six different states. She still wasn't able to get her driver's license legally yet. Vampires regularly turned into mist, bats, bugs, wolves on occasion, and he knew of a vampire that turned into a bear as well -of course the bear vampire was old enough to transfigure his skin light resistant whenever he ran out in the daylight without thought. In other words his theory of transfiguration, animagus and transformation/shape shifting was an open secret that few had ever figured out beyond the 'I can turn into an animal!' phase or the 'let's see how light resistant I can be!' phase. Really, he should mention it to Raphael and see if he could get the vamp to sparkle in the sunlight –just for shits and giggles.

So an old lady turning into a cat? Not impressive enough by half.

An eleven year old who turned into a bird without using the damn potion? Now that was impressive, and what's more was the fact that the bird wasn't his actual 'form!' Le gasp! Let's give him an impressive applause since he deserves it!

Next however Orion had charms. However he had an hour or so to spare before class. So he found a nice niche in a hallway near the charms corridor and started his transfiguration assignment, with a pen. Screw the quill and ink! The only reason he'd use one of those is for tests in class and on the tests administered by the ministry! The rest of the time he'd use a heavily glamoured pen, anchored by runes etched into the side. Runes were just that awesome, and several magical civilizations agreed with him! He wasn't going to mention that magical civilizations were just as prone to failing as muggle ones.

XXXXXXX

Ali had just finished with her charms class, with the Slytherins, some of whom were looking at her appraisingly for she knew her stuff, and proved it whenever someone got a basic magic theory question wrong, Flitwick had called on her several times for her knowledge. She knew she was smart, but she also knew her strengths and weaknesses. Talking her way out of a situation was not one of her skills.

Four Slytherins had cornered her against a wall since she had struck out –alone like an idiot- to the library -or the direction she thought it was in and ran into some of her classmates. Flitwick may not have assigned anything beyond some readings and a short essay, but she wanted to read ahead and make sure she knew her stuff.

"Well if it isn't the know-it-all Hufflepuff. Were you not good enough for Ravenclaw?" A boy with dark brown hair and gray eyes wanted to know. She thought his name was Derrick Raimisson. At the moment, she mentally named him Dick.

"Um, well, the hat thought I'd do well in each but thought-" She started to say but was interrupted rudely.

"That you'd do better as a Hufflepuff?" A taller guy with dark blond hair -not white blond as that one Slytherin that she'd seen at breakfast- and watery green eyes cut in to sentence. He was a few inches taller than her, and maybe an inch and a half past his year mates. She tried to place his name from the feast and the roll call in class but failed.

"Really? Is that possible? Do better as a 'Puff? They're all loo-osers! They're everybody's favorite whipping boys -and girls. Ravenclaws are at least tolerable, since they're smart." A dark hair and dark eyed girl stated scathingly who was shorter than she was. Ali couldn't remember her name either, but she was a first year and in her class.

The other boy, Bear or something stayed silent, leaning against the wall. Obviously he was playing look-out. He was hard to miss with his silver -silver!- hair and gold skin with dark eyes.

The taunting continued for a bit before Bear broke in. "I think she's got the point. Besides, as muggle-like as her manners are, she's at least a half-blood."

"What makes you say that Behr?" The dark girl asked harshly, like she wanted to say something else instead of his name.

"Look at her hair. Last night it was light, like milk. Today it is dark, like wood. That means she had elf -high elf maybe fairy- I think that's how you say it, in her blood. She may be ignorant, but that is the fault of her family, not her. We educate her, show her why she better than muggles she lives with."

"You are right about her hair. But what if it was just a charm or one of those hair coloring things that muggles use?"

"You think she knows illusions? Deceptions? No, she not familiar with them at all. Her hair does that by itself yes? Answer me."

"Yes, yes it does." She stuttered out.

"So she's not a muggle-born, and she looks too human for the blood to be recent so she's not a half-breed creature-born." Raimisson stated.

"True, but she's still-" The dark witch began.

"Isabella, you have to get information first before you begin." The tallest one of the foursome chided in a teasing manner. "And the easiest way is to ask. To start with; is either of your parents magical?"

"Um, I know my mother is for sure, but she never speaks of my dad except to say that he's as good as dead."

"And your grandparents?"

"I think my Grandpa was for sure, but they, they died when I was young, in an accident."

"And on your father's side?"

"I don't, don't know. Mother never speaks of him or his family, except to wish him pain and suffering."

"So she's the daughter of at least a half-blood, who dislikes the magical world and distances herself from it and she doesn't know a thing about her father's family, except that her mother now hates him and he is most likely a wizard himself." Isabella stated flatly.

"You know what we do now? Make potion to reveal family history." The exotic boy suggested.

"But that's expensive and we can't brew something that complicated!"

"So order from Egypt, where potion is cheap or get an upper year to make it. We are Slytherin, so it should only be a matter of time right?"

"Right, until then we're watching you Alison Walker." Isabelle spat out, before ordering the boys to follow.

The Egyptian boy stayed behind.

"So, what do you want?" Ali asked.

"Many things, Alison Walker, but even if I wish so, that doesn't mean that I shall receive what I wished, how I wished it. You should get going. The library is upstairs, two lefts and a right. Stairs are down this hall and then two rights away."

"Thanks, Bear right?"

"Behr. Go Miss Walker."

She left.

Merrick waited a few minutes in the hallway and opened the first door on the right.

"You did good Merrick."

"Friend, I think I hate you for _all-_" Merrick gestured in a wide sweep of his hands, "this."

"But do you hate that I saved your life?" The voice chuckled darkly.

"Not at all, I like living."

"Come to lunch before you start brooding, fully. It'll snap you out of your mood easily."

"You are implying that I am easy?"

"As easy as breaking into a tomb single-handily."

"For you my slippery sky-friend, that is only too easy."

"It was only once!"

"And it saved my brother's and mine's life. I am glad for you being so slippery. I shall look forward to this so-called lunch's entertainment."

"As do I." With that said the person he owed a life-debt to left the room and went into the halls. "Besides the kitchens are on the third floor, tickle the pear. Beware of house-elves over feeding you."

'_I'm beginning to think that there is more to this than I realized, my friend. To be fair I choose to follow you even though you said it was dangerous. The risks and benefits have long been weighed and my friend, and even though you were as honest as you said you could be there still lies much danger in the shadows. This whole isle is swamped in them and has bathed in them for eons. I miss Egypt. Life was much simpler then. I just had to watch out for actual snakes, Seth and such trying to kill me. Now, I need to watch every shadow and every opening in this dangerous game we're playing. But you and your skills shall be worth every minute of it. Provided, of course that we both live through our schooling.'_

XXXXXXX

The muggle born military brat was looking at Luna as though she had grown a second head or magically sprouted F-cups but they were magical in a magical school known as Hogwarts so the last one was a possibility. Then again, so was the first but that one involved a potion and a messed up healing charm.

"How can he kick the Minister out of his position? A kid having that much power?"

"You're American so you don't really have a good grasp upon even the muggle government here. So I'll explain it simply. The muggle Minister is elected from the Parliament, I think that's made from the House of Commons and the-"

"House of Lords."

"So you do know some of it. Anyway, the way daddy explained it to me was that based on which political party –although they never seem to have any fun from what I know which really is the opposite of a party's definition- is in charge they elect a new minister. The Minister is in charge as long as his party is in charge. So the Minister has to keep his people in the party and the rest of the muggles happy. The Queen is all done with the Queen's approval. The magical government is sort of similar.

"See, the Ministry of Magic's day-to-day basis is handled by the departments, law enforcement, the various creature departments, games and sports and such. Every department head has a seat upon the Wizengamut. That's the judicial and lawmaking body in a sense. Then Wizengamut has the seats awarded to those who have won an Order of Merlin first class, and then there's the hereditary seats, basically the families that have a seat have been around since Hogwarts. To become Minister of Magic you have to have a seat in the Wizengamut, and become elected by them. You can be awarded a seat on the Wizengamut for actions –typically the Order of Merlin –if there is a seat open. Fudge –the current Minister was awarded the Black seat, since he was the only one who managed to come out from the Crouch scandal unscathed at the time. He also enjoys goblin pies you know?

"At the time, the seat was basically held in reserve. The Blacks are patriarchal and thus females can't inherit the title or seat. So you've seen the Slytherin with the white blond hair, his mother was a Black. Thus he was set to inherit. That meant that the Malfoy family could null the Minister in a matter of minutes thanks to some old laws that thanks to other old laws cannot be revoked, as a way for regents to act in the best interest of the family if the heir could not.

"At the moment, Fudge is going to have to either get rid of Orion Black or get him to not take his seat, and all he has to do to take his seat is to take a few little tests. I have no doubt that he can pass them, thanks to those old un-revocable laws. Aren't they fey-gee-aunts nice?"

"So, um...I guess they are. He's able to get a free shot at me right? His family is full of people and knowledge to make it count really well."

"If he wanted, they wouldn't be able to find a hair of you. The Blacks are a dark, dark family. They, he would have no qualms about squishing you like most swat flies. I would say nargles but, they come around Yule time. They love the mistletoe."

"I'm screwed then." The muggle-born said.

"Yupperz." Luna said, before performing a pirouette and galloping down the hall with giggles echoing on the stone corridors.

The muggle born then lamented and rubbed his shoulder. "Ouch. Stone wall definitely hurt. I think my shoulder would be broke if not for that tapestry. Black bastard."

XXXXXXX

Orion decided that Charms was his favorite class. Flitwick treated him fairly, and he shortly became his favorite student. Flitwick explained what they were doing and when. Charms, for September was basic magic theory, wand movements and wand safety. Charms for most of October would be more on wand movements, simple spells like 'Lumos' and 'Nox' and more basic magical theory. Basically a rehash of what a child from the magical world would know and thus bored Orion out of his mind. So his notes were full of arithmancy problems and runes on different variations of the charms shown by Flitwick while he was doing wand movements. This included the variation of 'leviosa' that was used to construct houses and the 'locomotor' spells.

Needless to say, Flitwick was ecstatic when he saw his notes, scribbled, messy and rather disjointed. Paranoia learned by living with his Uncle had him writing only half his notes so no one could ever figure out what they were unless they were masters in the subject. Flitwick was a master, his Uncle and Moony were not although Moony was an expert in crafting and adjusting spells he couldn't break them down into their component runes worth a damn and his Uncle never took arithmancy but he did take runes, and was decent with them. Living with the devious duo had him write his notes down in a version of muggle shorthand since they filled in each other's education gap.

Needless to say, unless he explained his notes to you, no one could read Orion's notes unless they were very, very good at arithmancy and ancient runes and then you got confused by the shorthand. Even if you could figure out the math and runes, one could only read bits and pieces unless they knew muggle shorthand, and this was the magical world where the odds dropped dramatically. Besides, several of the magical terms he had shortened down to where say Gamp's law in transfiguration would be GpL, this was not including the fact that if he could he intentionally misspelled words to where maintenance would become ma810nance. It was a rather random seeming assortment of letters or words. Flitwick had had several Ravenclaws take notes in shorthand so he knew some of the basics of it such as with become w/ and without being w/o.

Next was lunch and he was looking forward to the meeting the Minister and the posse he'd bring with him, and humiliating them all in turn and in full.

XXXXXXX~Great Hall

Orion quickly searched out a spot, close to the staff table and near the Hufflepuff table -thus the center of the hall- this time and bespelled his plate, goblet and utensils in short order before checking his food using a modified charm that would show the ingredients only to him. He'd be staying away from the meat's gravy today. Orion was very thankful that any and all detection spells were basic point and inform, just his though, and thus able to use the bracelets to their fullest extent.

He quickly mimed pouring pumpkin juice, and instead poured himself some orange soda thanks to good old fashion sleight of hand. Sure, pumpkin juice is typically fine but today he was in a soda mood, however he could only have orange because he didn't want to glamour any other soda –because it would be a shit glamour since people would notice if the level of drink never went down and repeatedly cast glamours would be easy to catch. He wanted fish and to speak in a thick accent from the Union (The Northern United States specifically from New York, New York) and curse her name, but that's because seeing McGonagall put him in the mood of a NYC taxi cab driver who is stuck in traffic with a bitchy backseat driver who just went all panicky and hysterical because some bastard went and rear-ended another and got into a fist-fight. That wasn't a mood that pumpkin juice could cure.

So with expert timing he was taking a sip out of his goblet when the Minister came in followed by Amelia Bones, several aurors, Rita Skeeter and Lucius Malfoy. He did a mock salute with his glass while giving a decidedly evil smile -that McGonagall could only see fully since she was watching him with her cattiness in full swing. This would be fun squared or maybe cubed. He hadn't decided yet. He really could have gone into Slytherin just as easily as had gone into Ravenclaw or maybe Gryffindor. Anyone who could understand what he was muttering under his breath if he had decided to cuss the Minister and his posse out would be laughing as soon as they got over their shock. Thankfully he decided against that.

The Hall descended into silence at the Minister's intrusion.

"Minister Fudge, what an unexpected surprise-" Dumbledore began, his attention had focused upon him the second the Minister and his escort had appeared. It certainly explained his rather troubled look.

Fudge began to suck in air for what appeared to be a rousing speech. That seemed to be Fudge's only trick, well that and economic planning before his Uncle Lucius went and received the Minister's good graces. Now the Minister was an easily trained dog that attacked and barked on his command in a sense. The Minister wanted to stay Minister and before Orion showed up, Lucius was the one with all the cards. Orion in a sense had pulled Lucius' house of cards down. Given that he had yet to meet his blood-kin of the Malfoy family he'd allow them the freedom of potentially pulling it down themselves. He really hoped that the only card left to them would be the Joker or the old maid –it all depended on which game they decided to play.

"Headmaster Dumbledore we have it on good authority that you are harboring someone with information on the wanted fugitive and Azkaban escapee Sirius Black." Bones smoothly cut into Fudge's almost rant. "Please summon him here for questioning."

"Why summon? I'm right here." He coyly stated. Several people wondered what he was doing and if he was out of his bleedin' insane mind! Then they remembered some details and decided that yes he was out of his mind –insane or not. His quiet chuckles had several older Ravenclaws edging away from him. Su Li played right along while Luna watched with pursed lips and a tilted head. You could see the whirling of her mind from the glint of her wide gray eyes.

"Mr. Black, if you will come to the ministry for questioning-" Bones began as soon as he identified himself. While she was talking she gave him a good cop's searching glare. Orion felt mildly violated, he was far too young for an older lady to take such an interest in him –or so Padfoot would say before grinning and finishing the saying with, 'but they can't resist that Black charm.'

"Why? You can question me right here, there is no reason to miss class after all. This could certainly be done as quickly here." Orion cut in.

"We'll let you go as soon as the interview is done and statem-" Bones continued while shooting Orion a dark look. That was better. He'd handle the dark looks better than the searching ones. Really they wouldn't find what they were looking for, he had hidden some of the information too well. Well that and lies of omission would still work if he worded his next phrase right.

"I'd rather not, Madam Bones." He quickly took a drink out of his glass. Bingo! Idiots, the lot of them. His switching spells sucked. His potion lore was spotty. Thus that auror needed to be sacked if he doesn't get sacked over losing pieces of his body depending on where he had the serum at. Arrogant sack of sycophantic shit!

"Mr. Black, I'd hate to have to drag you in for obstruction of justice-" Amelia threatened.

"It's Lord Black, Madam Bones, and as for obstruction justice charge, I, Orion Regulus Black swear upon my title of Lord Black to be as truthful as possible –as I know the truth as said to me- provided they don't conflict with other previous oaths, for the next quarter hour or until my lunch is finished. Question me here, so everyone's curiosity is sa-"

"You Can't Be LORD BLACK! YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH!" Fudge yelled quickly turning all sorts of colors that clashed with his hat.

Orion coldly smirked to the Minister's face, "Minister, I'm wearing the Lord's ring and I am not dead_. I am Lord Black_." Those words were spoken with power behind them. You could fell it. "As I was saying it is best to have _this_," he did a wide sweeping gesture, "out in the open so everyone is _not_ relying upon rumors for their information. I'll answer to the best of my abilities and knowledge. Rumors have a slight problem of quickly becoming out of hand in a matter of hours if not minutes. Surely someone of your political standing knows this."

Malfoy intervened Fudge's soon to be questions smoothly, "Minister, Cornelius, the Black Lordship is not bound by age, but ability. Only the duties are bound by age, or so my wife told me. Lord Black is free to practice magic, everywhere, as long as he keeps the statue of Secrecy intact. By fourteen he's able to be bound to and initiate contracts –including marriage and apprenticeship- and by fifteen he's able to take his seat on the Wizengamut provided he's been judged competent, or passed his OWLS in other words. By his age of majority-"

"That's enough, Lord Malfoy. I'm wearing the Lord ring so if I'm not truthful, I'll slowly be killed by the curses upon the ring, since I wouldn't be Lord Black then and that is something that once refused will never allow another chance . Do you want me to elaborate how it would kill me if I wasn't truthful or at least some of its effects?"

"Yes, if you would." Dumbledore said curious about the ring.

"For the record if you will." Bones stated.

"First off most of them activate simultaneously. To my understanding of the curses and their placement upon the ring, the permanent sticking charm would activate, preventing the ring's removal and the chance of reversing the curses then and there -an infinite loop if you will since they are applied on contact –specifically when worn by anyone provided you're not the Lord Black. What would occur next is what is known as the Bloodlust curse. Anyone that has been even nicked by it can bleed out and die from a single cut smaller than a babe's pinky nail making removal of the hand or even finger unadvisable, since there is no known cure or counter curse to the Bloodlust curse. Being 'dark' magic it is tricky and very resistant to normal healing methods and what makes it worse is that the effects can be passed on to the next generation effecting only the males as it was designed to end bloodlines -as anyone could easily intuit. The Muggles know the persons affected by the curse as hemophiliacs. It was once used upon a piece of jewelry given to the Queen of England. Her name was Victoria. Her sons and her daughter's sons and all men born to that line can easily bleed to death with a few pinpricks."

That set off a few rushed whispers among the tables and several gasps among the officials and the muggle borns around him. Information was exchanged rapidly. He noticed that several people were taking transcripts of this, including Rita. He had to give her credit she was going almost word for word with that quill.

"The next few curses that I'll describe would peel the skin off -slowly- by layers and sections so as to prevent death by bleeding out, a throat swelling curse preventing potions from being ingested, and I believe a pain curse that was a precursor or a version of the Unforgivable version seeing as how it attacks the muscles instead of the nerves. To top it off, there is what is affectionately known as the bone-twister or Rickett's curse and the RotGut curse. I'd have a very painful week of dying if I lied since it also has the Sandman's Exile curse on it -preventing any sort of escape into sleep or unconsciousness by charm or spell or potion. Test the ring if you wish, Madam Bones." He removed the ring from his hand and held it out, the ring shining innocently in his palm. "I'm certain I left off some of the curses upon it. I wouldn't want anyone to be sick by what would happen if I named and described all of them. I just chose some of the more _prominent_ curses that would activate if someone decided to take leave of all their senses and chose a long, lingering and above all painful suicide."

Madam Bones tested it herself –in her own up toward palm- and proclaimed that the ring was the genuine Lord ring and that the curses were on it, activating only when someone other than the Lord Black was wearing it. It was apparently part of the curses themselves having the condition part of them. She quickly handed the ring back while a shiver went up her spine. The ring was truly nasty to anyone it didn't like and it only liked the Lord Black. Orion slipped the ring back on, apparently much more comfortable now with it on Bones noted.

"You have a dark artifact-" Fudge began.

"It's not, it's a cursed artifact that would only affect those stupid enough to steal it from the Lord Black and put it on. As long as no one does that, then no-one will be affected by the ring –and as long as I'm continuing to tell the truth for the moment. A person can hold it and survive, but as soon as they put it on -even if it was a bit of their nail, and they're not Lord Black -they die. In a rather very long drawn-out and very painful manner, no exceptions. Unless they decided to nick themselves and bleed out, suicide would look very attractive then given the pain and suffering you'd be in or soon to be in -that is if you could since it puts several blocks upon your magic as well preventing most potions from working and other assorted nastiness."

The silence that followed that proclamation was deafening in its absoluteness.

"How quickly would they activate?" Malfoy asked curious or concerned, Orion didn't know. The damn devil's advocate was what the blond was, without a doubt. Orion loved devil's advocates to death since he often played one until he was up against one. Time to call a bluff.

"The family lore says in an instant, I'm not going to lie and find out." Orion slipped off the ring and held it up to the blond wizard. "Unless you want to volunteer yourself and find out how quickly they'll kill you. I'd have to send condolences to dear Aunt Cissa, and my dear cousin. That will be after I get all the blood and gore out of the ring. It will take a while since your bones in your hand will have twisted and melted around the ring within minutes. I'm trying to think of a way that doesn't involve vanishing since the ring is warded against that. There's as always the burning approach, high flames and several hours and the bones will be ash. Acid might work or it might react with the ring as well. I'm actually going to have to look that up."

Lucius looked properly chastised. The rest of the spectators were shocked at the horrific fate, Orion munched upon a buttered roll. The students were a bit angered now since he could talk about what amounted to premeditated murder and eat within the same minute. Several students were worried, how did he know how long it took to reduce bones to ash?

"Have you ever practiced or used 'dark' magic Lord Black?" Rita asked, in a sweet voice –the first volley in the questions that would be asked. This happened because Bones was busy regaining her composer from dealing with the ring. The thing was absolutely brilliantly foul piece of magic. The young Lord Black truly cherry picked which curses to state. Some of them Amelia knew he didn't describe because as he said, he didn't want to ruin anybody's lunch.

"What is your definition of 'dark' magic, Miss Skeeter?" He countered.

"The same as the ministry's. Why wouldn't it be?"

"The English Ministry's you mean?"

"Yes, which other ministry would I be talking about?"

"Under the British Ministry's definition of 'magic that does irreparable harm with the intent to damage, maim or kill,' the answer would have to be yes."

Pandemonium erupted. The students were in chaos. The teachers and a few of aurors quickly calmed them down even though a few people from Gryffindor were claiming he was a Death Eater.

"Aurors, arrest him!" Fudge demanded of his personal guard.

The guard looked at his boss Amelia. She did a discrete sign for 'wait.'

"Why should they Minister? For one, it was cast out of your legal, much less your country's jurisdiction, if you want the ICW on your arse go ahead. Two, the spells cast in that country was legal according to their laws. Here they _are_ illegal if cast _at_ muggles or witches or wizards. Three, according to Magical British law as of '57, werewolves are considered sub-human and thus I'm fully able to cast even an unforgivable at them and not go to Azkaban. Do you understand that Minister? The same goes for vampires as well. I'm pretty sure that is covered in History of Magic Minister or at least defense. I've done nothing to break the laws concerning 'dark' magic here. The 'anti-dark' laws here are rather over the top since with enough creativity you can kill a person without ever leaving spells that can be done by a first year. To top it off, the spells would be legal to cast. There are several instances where aurors -back before and during and after the war- terminated their targets with legal spells -despite the legislation at the time which made the unforgivables a bit more forgivable. This is what happens when we live in an armed society, sir."

Lucius was decidedly impressed. Mockery at its finest was a rare find indeed.

Fudge did a very good impression of a gaping fish, before regaining his stance.

"Do you know where Sirius Black is now or where he will be at any specific date and or time?" Asked Madam Bones, the first to recover from his latest onslaught delivered in that arrogant manner of his. Orion thought that he'd have another ten seconds of silence thanks to that last bit of casual arrogance.

"I don't know how to answer that, let me think about that for a bit."

"HA! Aurors-!" Fudge began.

"_Silenceo._ Please allow me to finish what I was saying, before you lose something more important than your dignity." Orion stated clearly silencing the Minister, with a quick efficient cast before placing his wand on the table lazily in full view of the aurors, politicians and media. "As, I was saying, I don't know how to answer that, since first and foremost, he didn't tell me where he'd be or when he'd be there. Second there _are_ several places that we like better than others, but I'm under oaths for some of those locations, and some others I can't tell you since I'm not the secret keeper for the locations."

"Secret keeper?" Bones said more to herself than him. "How many places do you know of that are under the fedilus and how many are you bound by oath to keep secret or confidential? Also state the places that you've stayed at that your Uncle may visit again." Good ol' Madam Bones. She hadn't missed a trick, even the fact that he knew 'dark' magic didn't throw her off her game –well much.

"Secret keeper? That's the person who holds the secret and is the only person who can tell you the location. There are at least seven that I remember clearly staying at –do you want me to send a description of the locations at a later date so we can continue this interview in the time allotted?" Bones nodded in the affirmative. "The ones that I'm under oath to not speak about number over thirteen -note that not all of those are residences. Some of them are very nice businesses that deal with select clientele and require confidentiality oaths -of their persons, location, and business itself."

He raised his goblet as if to drink from it, but then thought better of it. He then went on to name several of the places that Sirius and him had visited that Sirius had wanted to go to again someday -in alphabetical order, just for kicks and giggles by continent and then country. Bones was pondering his answers, furrowed forehead and monocle hanging ten, while her aurors were either keeping the student population peaceful or obviously chomping at the bit with Fudge who was being tactfully contained by Dumbledore and Malfoy allowing Skeeter and Bones to question with authority and imputiy.

"Do you have a way to communicate with your Uncle? Or a point of rendezvous?"

"Other than what's available to other magical citizens? Not unless you count muggle means and that number was disconnected several years ago. As for meeting locations, that changed depending upon which country we were in at the time and the political situation in the country."

"What was it like living with the infamous Sirius Black?" Rita Skeeter questioned.

"Rather fun, and educational. I speak several languages fluently and can read a few more. We switched between the muggle and magical worlds almost seamlessly."

"Almost?" Dumbledore asked.

"A couple of times he forgot to do something in the muggle manner, rather than the way wizards do so. Do you want examples or to waste more time that I'll be compelled to be truthful in?"

"So where have you lived with the only man to ever escape Azkaban?" Rita asked pointedly.

"We've been, well it seems like everywhere some days, you did after all hear my list of locations to Madam Bones. From Alaska to the Antarctic circle to Hawaii. We've, we, he has seen Mardi Grais in New Orleans –annoying age requirements for that- and we visited the Statue of Liberty on Elis Isle. We also visited the Eiffel tower and Versailles in France, a few war-sites and those type places in Germany and other parts of Europe. I've seen the Dragon reserves in Romania, been to Egypt and looked at the old tombs. Went into the heart of Africa, enjoyed myself -immensely- in India and rode the elephants and the carpets. Visited Hong Kong's open air market, and seen the magical districts of Japan. I've been surfing in New Zealand and sailed around Australia's Great Barrier Reef. We didn't go into Australia proper because Sirius has problems with rodents of unusual size, and we were fishing and he didn't want to miss his chance to make a shark tooth necklace. I'm still mad at him for borrowing mine and losing it during a poker game."

"You can't have done all that!" Fudge screamed marching up to Orion after having one of the aurors cancel the silencing spell. Orion had glared him into submission, before he responded.

"I can't lie unless I wish to die a most painful death _Minister_," Orion spat the word like it was one of the foulest of curses, "so I had to have done so. It was rather easy, so, sure we could have and can easily do again. We toured the USA during one summer, that included Hawaii and Alaska, Hawaii was fun if expensive and Alaska was disorienting because it _was _summer and thus never really nighttime except for like ten or twenty minutes. That was rather fun. It seems like we toured a continent a year -excluding Antarctica for obvious reasons. We spent the spring and early fall of that year in different districts of Canada and then wintered in Mexico that year. We were in London and thus Diagon Ally during _Professor _Lockheart's book signing. It was interesting to watch all the witches fawn over him and full-grown wizards duke it out like muggles. I won a gallon on it from my Uncle on who would get first blood, after I had lost a sickle on who'd get in the first hit."

Shock went through the student, staff and ministry personnel in the hall. A mass-murderer was in Diagon Ally and no one was aware of it? Where were the aurors? Why didn't anyone notice? Several students that were there at the time were in a panic. They could have been touching a mass-murderer and not be aware of it! The supposed second of You-Know-Who! The same mass murderer apparently sucked at poker was a shocker too.

"So why did you come to Hogwarts, Orion, or would you prefer Lord Black?" Skeeter asked again.

"Either's fine, Miss Skeeter. I thought about going to a school across the pond, but then decided to come here for tradition's sake, and Hogwart's library. Mostly for the library. I was slowly running out of material to read that wasn't cursed to melt your eyes or something similar or worse or that I didn't feel like practicing curse-breaking upon."

"Do you know how your Uncle escaped Azkaban?" Busy Bones, she was going to examine this interview/interrogation in a pensive and look at the records closely. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, she'd get the hint easy enough. Good Bones, you get a few guys to fry, may you enjoy the bastards since no one else can.

"Not in its entirety. I don't know how he escaped his cell or the prison proper -he never told me how he did that -despite all my needling, but before his escape there was a breach of protocol during what he thinks was Halloween that year, which allowed him to regain some sense enough to plan mostly because being on Azkaban as a prisoner is insanity producing. He then later swam off that isle on what he thinks was Christmas Eve, the one night where the dementors aren't patrolling, as per isle tradition and the agreement with the dementors."

"Swam?" Fudge asked pale. Sirius Black has swum that distance? The isle was further out than the English Channel was long.

Orion mentally sighed since the Minister didn't know a damn thing about ocean currents or navigation beyond using the stars. The Marauders had once planned to get together one summer -after the war was over- and sail down to Greece, so Sirius was able to remember the surface currents and how to use them to his advantage. Magical maps once compared to their muggle counterparts fell a bit flat so after they penciled or quilled the isle in; it was easy to see which islands they could stop at for a night or week.

Orion thought that they were all idiot wizards. They really need to keep up with muggle news more often since people swam the channel all the time and a couple of really -in his opinion brainless jocks looking for fame- had swam an ocean.

"He proved that there was a reason he was a Gryffindor after all. He hasn't been able to stand the cold very well ever since, but do you blame him? Well, he can't stand cold water anyway. I remember him frolicking in the snow when we were in, where were we? I think it was Sweden or someplace in that general area. We went skiing, and we both wiped out on one of the harder tracks. I prefer snowboarding myself over skiing. We got into a huge snowball fight somewhere in that area. I admitted defeat when he sent a snow golem after me. We were, of course, in a secluded area of the mountains when that happened -with notice-me-nots and such as a standard auror procedure and as a precautionary measure."

"So what's your least favorite thing about all the traveling you and Sirius Black have done?" Rita asked.

"Adapting to the time zones. Several times I've woke up at the 'same' time I fell asleep, but that's life on a flying motorcycle for you."

"Motorcycle? Isn't that one of those muggle contraptions they use to move around?" Lucius asked, surprising Orion since he pronounced it right. Looked like Lucius was either a closet muggle-lover or being the best Slytherin he was by at least knowing his enemy.

"As far as we know that's legal everywhere, as long as the enchanted item doesn't make its way back to muggle hands. Not that they'd be able to use over half the enchantments anyway, since they're wand activated, and the other half are the basic notice-me-nots and disillusionment that actives as soon as you lift off or flip the switches for the extra functions."

"But why use a muggle contraption?" An auror asked.

"That's not a good question, Madam Bones please teach them how to ask better questions. A better question is why not? Brooms attract notice in muggle areas, carpets are banned in several countries, apparation is only to places that you know the address of or have been there before and is easily tracked provided you're determined enough and that method has far too many limitations especially when you side-along a person. Portkeys are tracked and registered by ministries, everywhere –no exceptions. In several countries, the city streets are too thin for muggle cars or too crowded. Muggle cars still have other limitations such as not being able to go 'off-road' unless they're a certain model, and other various things. In most magical districts it's easy to just leave it at the muggle entrance under a muggle notice-me-not since most witches and wizards apparate or floo to their destinations after they get their license or have it installed. Muggle-borns will assume its muggle, and their parents wouldn't notice it to even take note of the model."

"That makes a surprising amount of sense and takes a decent amount of planning and thought." Fudge said mostly to himself surprising some of those nearby who could hear it.

"I know, I pointed it out to Uncle Siri several times." He put the goblet to his lips, tilted it and swallowed; he started tapping the stem several times after his goblet left his mouth. "Anything else you wish to know before your time runs up and this interview terminates?"

"So in your opinion is that Sirius Black makes a good guardian?" Skeeter asked.

"He makes a good Uncle, I'll give him that. As a legal guardian, which means filling out the legal paperwork and dealing with the Black estate and finances that I can't? Not so good. As Madam Bones can attest to and find out by looking up his reports from when he was an auror before Halloween '81 and his incarceration and subsequent escape, he utterly loathes paperwork with a passion and does the bare minimum needed for it."

"So who does do the legal paperwork and finances?" Bones asked.

"I do part of it. I have help who is paid to do some of it as well, confidentiality is part of that contract and that works on both sides. Uncle Siri signs off on what he has to, since not all countries respect titles and some have age restrictions for certain actions. He hates every bit of it, doesn't mean he's not damn good at it."

"So why does he bother with it?" A disgruntled auror asked.

"Just because you hate something doesn't mean you can't be good at it. Without the inverse Quidditch wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is. A lot of witches and wizards can fly and play but that doesn't mean that you'd want them even on a house team much less a professional team."

"Did your Uncle murder your Father and Mother?" Bones asked.

"First off, Father was dead soon after I was born, hours actually. That time was an interesting time and all that. My Mother survived my birth, but she had a hard pregnancy –partly because of the war and an injury sustained during a raid- and was weak ever after. She died shortly before Sirius escaped."

"How do you know this is true?"

"Because, my Great Uncle Arcturus Black, who was Lord Black before me told me this and he was the one who took care of me before Uncle Siri was able to. All the Heads of any decent family have a way of monitoring the health of the member's of their house. Most of my Mother's family was dead or unreachable at the time so she went around Grandmere to the Head and Lord of the family. I rather miss him. The previous Lord Black died before I was seven. Sirius Black was never officially disowned since only the Lord and Head of the Family could –who was not Grandmere. Uncle Siri really didn't want the title, and since I took a great deal after my father who the Lordship was going to go to, it was decided that I'd inherit. I came into the Lordship due to other circumstances that I have no wish to talk about. I never met Grandmere in person, but her portrait is pleasant enough."

"And as someone who grew up on the run? How do you think that affected you?" Rita asked playing for some sympathy. Orion found it ironic that they were doing the whole 'good cop/bad cop' routine without any such communication between them. Except for that one auror who asked that rather stupid question.

"Hmm, grew up on the run? That sounds bad. I'd say I grew up touring the world and seeing the best and worst of it. I'm a bit more jaded than the rest of my peers, but I'm more knowledgeable of the world and its ways than most of them as well. Most of them wouldn't know how find directions to a decent place to stay the night out of the country –much less among the muggles."

"Anything else you'd like to say since the interview is almost over?" Rita asked coyly since she had to print close to the truth with all the officials and students that were witnessing this taking place, so her quick quotes quill was more of a dictation quill for a limited area, not that an auror didn't have one of them nearby anyway. She'd get a copy of it later to print with it.

"Why yes, to the auror with the shit switching spell, veritaserum is not used on anyone under the age of fifteen ever –it's illegal. Those over fifteen but still haven't reached the age of magical majority are dosed with two drops and then only with parental consent or the Headmaster if they're muggle-born or orphaned, otherwise you run the risk of melting their brains or killing them via overdose. Your switching spell sucks and veritaserum mixes much better with pumpkin juice than muggle orange soda since the soda is less dense than the serum -thus I knew when my goblet had the veritaserum mixed in- and then the CO2 from the soda and veritaserum mix and react slowly. I hope that you don't mind the fact that the mixture forms an acid which strength is about 10x weaker than basilisk venom. There is a section of a wall at Grimmauld Place that saw far too much of that mixture. If you get to Poppy in the next few minutes you won't end up like ol' Mad-eye Moody."

Shock covered everyone's expressions.

"Madam Bones, please inform your aurors in the future to plan their attempted murders better so that they actually work and aren't so damn obvious a blind man can see them. Now, I'm going to prepare for class. This interview -and lunch- is over." Orion said harshly. "Have a nice day." He said with a more cheerful note.

With that said, he sat the tainted goblet down on the table where several entranced students and staff watched the solution fizzle and then start to melt a hole through the goblet and run down the stem and onto and through the table and then through the floor.

That done, Orion grabbed an apple –from the Hufflepuff's table the roll and what he ate before the Minister arrived wasn't going to tide him overlong- and left the Great Hall through the same doors the Minister and posse entered –which were conveniently still open. He had only been gone a few moments -which was spent laughing the threat off and official discussion by those in charge- when the disgruntled auror started screaming as his leg and robe started melting together.

Several aurors escorted the dishonored screamer to the infirmary to try and save his leg. Madam Bones saw red. She stormed after her aurors with a palatable angry air around her. Susan who was going to speak to her aunt, backed away quickly.

Dumbledore worried for the future with someone as dark as Black attending and thus threatening the school. McGonagall was in shock at the actions the auror had taken and the reaction of the veritaserum to the goblets that melted through the table and then the auror's leg and robe. Snape was internally cheering such a show of subtle Slytherin cunning under the guise of Gryffindor bravery in such a studied Ravenclaw manner, meanwhile he was trying to figure out how the muggle soda and veritaserum had such a reaction because his expertise would be needed soon. Fopish Lockheart floundered around uselessly. Flitwick, with his goblin heritage coming into play called it a bargain well-executed -rather meaningless info for the officials and lots of by-play for Orion to dissect later. Sprout was horrified. Thankfully as this was only lunch so the elective teachers weren't there since they rarely ate at the staff table, feasts being the exception.

The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were much in shock, especially the muggle-borns who believed in the government and thus the Ministry. The Ravenclaws were split, those who had strong muggle ties were in the same boat as the Gryffs and 'Puffs. The Ravenclaws with strong ties with the Slytherins were joining the Slytherins in awe at a masterstroke in action played out before their very eyes. Meanwhile the very politically astute were wondering if that masterpiece was the first in a series and what that series would be about.

Lucius Malfoy however was assessing this new variable since he was a very politically astute Slytherin he _needed_ more information. "Excuse me, Minister, I wish to speak to my son." He'd get that information as soon as possible. He wouldn't excuse the slights to himself, but his wife had actually married down to marry him. Malfoys bow to no one after all.

Fudge nodded his acceptance of Malfoy's leave. He was ruined. He was only Minister because after Sirius was incarcerated he was awarded the Black seat on the Wizengamut, which you needed to be a member of to become the Minister. You could either run from the traditional family seat or as a department head to be Minister. The second the Black brat turned fifteen and passed his OWLs, he'd loose his seat and thus his position as Minister -not to mention that he had already threatened him if that dignity remark was what he thought it was. He didn't make a good impression on the brat so he needed to suck up to him, so maybe the brat wouldn't claim his seat until he was seventeen or older. Young men liked to travel -but he's done that- and money -but he has that- and quidditch. Maybe he was going about it wrong. He already had all that. Maybe he'd get rid of that blasted Black and only have to keep Lucius happy.

Rita Skeeter was ecstatic! Sure her quill on the dialogue would have to keep close to the original, but she had several new stories and headlines all lined up in a row! This would be sure to have readers in a tizzy.

Ali was wondering what the hell that was all about. She was going to catch him sometime soon and get answers and not more questions! The Minister was acting like an incompetent fool!

Ginny Weasley watched the reactions all about the hall, ignoring her brother's screams of ignorance and Hermione's horrified gasps, along with all of the annoying first years since Ginny had so graciously went into shock allowing Tom a brief look at the proceedings. The girl would be sure to tell him exactly what happened soon enough.

Merrick watched the proceedings with a jaded eye. This changed much now but very little in the future. He'd meet with his sky-friend soon, but his sky-friend proved to be right. He was in a much better mood. He'd also remember to eat in the kitchens soon. This English food was not for him maybe he could persuade those elves to make some food from his homeland soon.

Draco was in awe at his younger cousin -not that he showed it in the least. He greeted his father. It looked like he'd have to get closer to his cousin and observe him in a way that was natural. His father made it an order by a quick glance towards him and his cousin while greeting him. Well, at least he wasn't bummed about being left behind during Christmas break now. He had a mission and he would complete it.

Su Li was smiling inside. Someone here finally got the meaning of politics! She wouldn't be insanely bored now watching the slight day-to-day changes in the Slytherin ranks.

Orion watched the following reactions disillusioned from the doorway, leaning unnoticed upon the door itself. His apple was a bit too bitter for his taste but he ate it anyway.

* * *

A/N Poor Su Li, she's forgotten in just about every fanfiction except as the 'quiet Asian Ravenclaw.' I mean even Lisa Turpin and Mandy Brocklehurst get more characterization! Lisa is described as having a decent rack and Mandy having excellent grades despite sucking face with her fellow prefect all the time. Or at least in the fanfictions that I've read. I really need to re-read the books.

Also if you can't tell, the A/Ns at the top of this are done when the chapter is started, or edited. So um, yeah, there's a bit of a time change between when the majority of the chapter is hashed out and the chapter that follows it. I do it that way so I'll be able to change what I want so it matches the next few chapters that follow it. I have a basic plot thread and am laying the groundwork for a few others. Yes, there are several sub-plots in the work...

Just remember, he's eleven, so he's not super powerful or even a match power wise for several of the upper classmen, to not even count the professors! He's so very precise and knows how to use every bit of leeway for his own gain.

Any _advanced_ spell work that Orion performs for his first few years is only considered upper year material because most new initiates to magic can't control it very well (a good example is that Seamus sets his feather on fire during charms when learning the levitation charm) or he knows how to use an equivalent. He's somewhat magic-sensitive, (like Dumbledore explained in cannon during the cave one just has to know how to _feel_ it.) He has metamorphic talents and limits and conditions placed upon him by his title and oaths (will be expounded upon later) -so he_ has _to be perfect in his control to do all that he _wants_ and _has_ to do with his limited supply of magic. His rune constructs -dog collar, trunk, etc- need to be recharged on a regular basis and over charging ruins the 'conductivity' of the runes/magic. His wards upon his room also take a large chunk of his magic since he is a first year! Then there is the magic he has to use in class for spells and such. He is basically 'rationing' his magic!

As for his 'animagus' form, that's basically a furthering of his metamorphic talents. It takes him a while -and some rather intense focus- to become a falcon, since unlike Sirius or Tonks he doesn't practice or use it on a consistent and constant basis. Most of his metamorphic talents are reactions to his thoughts and emotions as Tonks loved to prove in cannon. So he can't consistently change his looks upon demand. There is no, "I want to see a pig's snout!" with Orion. With the mysterious Fen who is -to those who can read between the lines- much better at her metamorphic talents than the false animagus one has to wonder exactly what she could do with her metamorphic talents.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N; Woohoo! Chapter 6! I'm enjoying college since I now can get into the mood for typing much much easier than at home. Mostly because at home I had faaaarrr too many chores to do because my brothers were absolute slobs. Well, one of them is anyway.

A/N; Just noticed this, but September 1, 1992 was a Wednesday. Somehow, I'm having him follow the courses that I have marked down for MWF on a Thursday. We'll pretend that the train left on the 31st and that's why Ron wrecked the Ford Angelina.

* * *

**Chapter 6 - A Pack of Prefects**

Orion finished the day off by having Herbology where it seemed like everyone and everything shied away from him including the professor and the plants. Alison Walker was the only one to actually 'pair' up with him, if one excluded the fact that as the first day in Herbology was just a walk-through of the greenhouses and which ones they'd use in which year. They mistook her scowl of frustration as one of unease.

Ali tried to talk to him, but Orion projected an aura of 'disturb and die.' Sprout was being extremely intolerant of anything that could be misconstrued as misbehavior during her tour of the greenhouses. Ali really wanted to know what was up with the disturbance at lunch. Seriously, she was beginning to see why her mum was right disillusioned with the place and why she was continuing her muggle education as well -even if she had until that point thought that it wouldn't be useful compared to a magical education. She was pretty sure that the Minister of Magic was like the Prime Minister of England and the Prime Minister sure didn't act like that! And it was only in the first few days of her magical education! She wasn't sure if she could continue in the magical world if it was always like that!

She caught up to Orion as he seemingly disappeared around the castle entrance. "Talon!" She cried out as she looked at the seeming different maze of corridors that presented different exits for her current wily prey.

She turned down a nearby hall and started walking down in. "Talon?" She asked walking down the hallway. "Talon? Where did you go?" She asked the air, and then she demanded the castle to tell her, not like it would.

"Talon!" She squeaked as she was quickly dragged behind a tapestry. She had started to scream but stopped when she heard Talon's voice, after she bit him though.

"Sssshit! Did you have to bite me?" Orion questioned in a quiet tone of voice as he wiped a bleeding palm against his robe before pulling a charm she hadn't heard of -not that she knew any healing spells- on his hand and healing it.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? Lay there and take whatever some evil-doer has planned?" Ali questioned in a snit.

"No, you curse the hell out of them –once you learn some decent ones anyway. Anyway, this location isn't the safest to have a discussion in. The portraits are able to tell the headmaster and teachers what is up. The ghosts can do it as well. The portraits have good hearing, well some of them do."

"Wha-?"

"Come along now." Orion grabbed her hand and dragged her through a cobwebbed infested passageway after performing a charm upon her feet to where she wouldn't disturb the dust. She looked at him in amazement -he really was paranoid!

"Where are we going?"

"To a rather handy little room, that is rather private, once the spells are activated upon it."

"Why do you need so much privacy?" The Hufflepuff asked as she was being led quickly down a maze of halls and up a flight of stairs, and then another turn and...

"We need it. As I happen to like you, and consider you a tentative friend, I need to fill in a few gaps that aren't covered by the idiot's gossip before they fill your head with blasphemous filth and asinine fluff."

"You mean about your family and stuff. I've heard some rather bad you know-_dark_ stuff. How is dark automatically evil?"

"Exactly that, my dear Ali. So I hope you're not minding that I'm stealing you for the rest of the day. Couldn't tell ya' on the train after all, being a Hufflepuff means loyalty which means defending of friends or acquaintances and nothing would alienate you faster from the rest of the students and even some of the teachers." He tapped a section of a wall between two cobweb covered armors and it opened like Daigon Ally. The room was rather musty with that stale scent of dead air and dust long undisturbed, but rather private and cozy. It had a study/lounge area that opened into a private bathroom and was that a bedroom? "These rooms were once used by guests to the castle. That includes travelers and visiting family back in the Founder's age. Then they were used by the Ministry when they were testing the students, OWLs and NEWTs or rather the equivalents of it depending upon the time period or looking for apprentices. These rooms fell into disuse after they moved quarters around in the mid 1400s, '37 if you want to know. You have finished classes for the day right?"

"No, I've already got in all my classes today. So tell me, Talon, why whatever that was that happened, happened and don't try to distract me with all that history stuff -however interesting it is."

"Well, it's a rather long story, so I'll make it as short as possible, so don't interrupt and history plays a rather vital part of it. My father's parents -my grandparents- were blood-purists. Rather rabid blood-purists, who thoroughly believed that being a Black was akin to being royalty in the wizarding world and were with what they believed to be good reason..."

* * *

Snape was rather worried; even he wouldn't show it to these brats that he was forced to teach -even though they were paying attention today since they now knew how important potion knowledge is. They'd stop paying attention within a month, unless they had something in their heads other than fluff -which most didn't.

The auror had kept his leg -barely- and he'd walk with an obvious limp for the rest of his life. He hadn't kept his job though. He was now resting in St. Mungo's where he'd have to pay out of pocket for his expenses since the records update automatically -the_ joy_ of magical records- since he'd been fired -in disgrace- which was a major black mark akin to his own upon his arm. With an open investigation on him as well for attempted murder -and it was exactly that- and to see if anyone else had been dosed with a ministry regulated truth serum by him in other circumstances. Snape honestly couldn't find any sympathy or pity for the man. He had long since lost that ability to empathize with his fellow wizard or witch. He quite frankly didn't care about losing that at all.

To see if he had really had overdosed the brat Snape had to collect samples from the melted cup and the floor- and collect the container that the supposed vertiaserum was in. It wasn't a very pretty container anymore, but neither was the auror's leg or to be more accurate the mass of melted muscle, flesh and bone that masqueraded as a man's leg.

What Snape hated though was the fact that Black brat was right both in the rather blatant murder attempt and the reaction. The carbonation and the chemicals used in muggle soda upset one of the key ingredients in the serum -after that it was just a chain reaction. A reaction that resulted in mostly harmless products -including water, salts and surprisingly few gases or fumes- and then an acid. A very potent acid nearly on par with basilisk venom, that ate through the cork on the vial which was on its side in the pocket of the robe, as it was once opened to allow the switching spell to take place. After the spell was performed, the cork was replaced and then allowed to fall as it may in his pocket. Snape mostly couldn't empathize with the auror because he had basically ruined an entire dose of veritaserum. That was at least two weeks worth of hard work for the potion! Then there was the man's incompetence at casting a gravity charm –who knew how many potions he had ruined by sloshing around in his robe pocket!

What really was disturbing was the fact that Black -Sirius- back in his own Hogwarts days was about as good as Longbottom in practical potions. Black was very good at finding and making the theoretical mixtures. Preparing ingredients the potion ingredients to exacting standards, Black, Sirius could do. Black, Sirius, he just couldn't pay attention to the potion while stirring or what not. Sirius, was good at the parchment work for potions, the history of the potion and how the ingredients reacted in potions, and even identifying them faster than he could even if it was 'odorless'-he just couldn't make one to save his life beyond the basics! As soon as Sirius touched a cauldron, that cauldron was doomed to melt since he rarely paid attention to the minute timings and cautious stirrings -even though he knew them like the back of his hand, Black -Sirius, Snape corrected himself for the umpteenth time today- just didn't have the ability to focus and be lost in the process of brewing perfection. The ministry testers during his NEWTs practical actually produced shields to shield them from the soon to be explosion! (The shields proved to save their lives actually incurring a life debt from one tester to another. Sirius still managed to pass the NEWT well enough to become an auror.)

He both dreaded and welcomed the Black brat into his class, -when he finally had class for his Slytherins and the Ravenclaws. For now though, he had to watch these brat's miserly attempts at brewing -just to see if their skills stayed sharp over the summer.

Snape was just waiting until supper, just as a break from having to watch all the pathetic attempts at potion making. The events of the day and the night before had awakened all of instincts honed by living his double life and set them on high alert. His body had become slightly soft over the years and the summer.

"McCormic," Snape said softly to the Gryffindor behind him alerting the rest of the class to something informative or entertaining, "You need to add the crushed root before stirring in the ground beetle wings."

"Yes sir."

"Oh, and ten points from Gryffindor for almost killing yourself and your partner with what would be a Longbottom worthy explosion."

McCormic blanched –everyone knew that Longbottom was pants at potions.

* * *

Dinner in the Great Hall was tense and quiet. Hufflepuffs jumped at every little noise, Ravenclaws were taking notice of world around them before diving back into their books or debates, and the Gryffindors looked ready to hex the poor person who spooked them. The Slytherins were having quiet conversations, where not useful information was gained and shared and horded.

The staff table was wary and tense. Dumbledore was extremely troubled and watching everything with a scrutinizing look, paying strong attention to the main instigators of trouble –and watching Orion cautiously and several other students worriedly with several other members of the staff.

Orion calmly watched the tense atmosphere from his seat on the Ravenclaw table where he had his extra reading out on the Slytherin side–while working on the list of locations that Bones had asked him to provide. Good thing was that the people he knew and loved often moved around –a lot. Any location that was over two years old was either abandoned or hidden through other means or he was unable to talk about it due to oaths and contracts or he had yet to visit. Didn't mean he couldn't sketch it out the building and rooms –he was also describing it in minute detail from the make of the table to how many scratches were on its legs just because along with doodles of Ringo inside Ringo's places. Ringo was that awesome. He was also staying away from most of the food on the Ravenclaw table, mostly because he knew the Weasley twins had coerced the house elves to do it. To anyone else it was an odd mix of food upon his plate. What everyone else also didn't know is that he had a brief walk in here after his talk with Ali before going to his common room to start upon his reading and manuscript to Bones.

He also had to wonder about the Marauder's successors, the Weasley twins. Really how juvenile were the pair?

He did better pranks with only a few minutes planning and preparation. Creevy still had Medusa hair after all. The Runespoor had killed the head on the left -which was rather odd since it was usually the middle head that was killed.

His silent question was answered when several of the elder Gryffindors wore baby clothes -bib, pacifier and diaper- while the Hufflepuffs broke out in multi-hued feathers, the Slytherin with dog ears and tails –Draco his cousin becoming an English sheep dog was slightly weird but not as bad as the Basset hounds and pug but not as interesting as the Great Dane, Irish Setter and German Sheppard –he noted who they were since they were interesting. The Ravenclaws all gained a rainbow of cat appendages -including himself. He flicked his pink cat ear with purple stripes back and waited for the compulsion that he had on a whim set up to activate –well after his original breakfast prank and his luncheon with the Minister and Posse. He licked a hand and 'washed' his ear just because.

A Hufflepuff that had sprouted black feathers squawked, "Nevermore!" Before being outraged at the twins since they were unaffected and laughing –this was also part of the compulsion and planning on his part. The twins were then hit with a handful of vegetables mash.

That started a food fight that Orion calmly walked out of twitching his pink and purple cat ears every so often, along with his new his whiskers. He probably had a disgusted look upon his face. Several Slytherins, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws followed suit clutching and shielding their books and things along with a few first years.

~-~-~-~-~ 7:06 pm. North Tower 2nd Floor

Percy was with Penelope and several other prefects in the north tower. While not on the floor where divination was taught, this place was secluded and not as cliche as the astronomy tower. Plus the lack of portraits on several places ensured some privacy. It wasn't a full Prefect meeting but rather an unofficial one, a few quick glances and nods during dinner –and after the food fight- communicated that it was going to be held –the unofficial rules stated at the next hour after it was set when held impromptu.

"Penny would you be mad at me if I said I don't want to work in the ministry given the display during lunch? I couldn't stand for someone like him to be my boss, I could but I just don't think it would be worth it." Head Boy Percy whispered to Penelope, while holding her back to his front in a rather tight hug.

"Not as long as you do something worthwhile, Percy." She whispered back before speaking up. A few more prefects straggled in. A quick once over with a nods back showed that every prefect that was coming had came. Percy handed her the floor with a glance and a nod. "I saw how Fudge acted and that was behavior most unbecoming, even if Black sort of provoked him. Still, the _silencio_ was a bit rude -but not nearly as much as the Minister was being. I'm surprised he even knows how to cast that."

"Insult, no. Implied, yes. I wonder how he escaped Slytherin? Seeing what we just say was a masterstroke which is not all that bad for a first strike." The neutral Slytherin Prefect stated. His name was Valice Wells.

"That wasn't his first strike. His first strike would be coming here, and unsettling all the teachers, Wells- right? Professor Sprout is all but shaking with fright in his presence and Professor Flitwick is rather enamored with him -through his father based on hearsay- and the fact that he's utterly ruthless while getting what he wants which appeals to his goblin heritage." The Hufflepuff Prefect Diggory pointed out. He was new to the job, but even he had eyes.

"McGonagall has her back up around him; Snape is a wild-card at the moment. You can easily tell that Dumbledore is not going to like him. Most of the other teachers won't care, since they'll not have to deal with him for a while or only once a week. Is he going to be a problem Penny?" Percy summed up and then asked.

"No, he's rather polite, if a bit distant. He does have a quick temper though, that you can already see runs like ice. Frigid cold, razor sharp and rather infecting whenever inflicted." Penny shivered.

"And rather lasting, I suppose. I'm going to have to keep close eye upon my brothers, all of them are rather hot-headed. I'm afraid of his retaliation. All the old rumors and such about the Blacks." Percy explained.

"Blacks tend to believe in being revenge sevenfold. I remember my Grandmother gossiping when I was pre-Hogwarts and hearing tales of the poor souls that faced any Black's revenge." The Slytherin female Prefect that was going to graduate this year stated –this group of perfects were a select bunch. "They were rather horrible, if only because no one at St. Mungo's could fix the sods back well enough for polite society. The laws then allowed for mercy killings and all the cads' families agreed to it, they still had close casket funerals though. Supposedly that happened because of one of them besmirching the honor of a female member of the Ancient and Noble House of Black." She gave a cold smile about it. Her name was Miranda Fells, soon to be Miranda Romane.

The prefects gave that a moment to sink in.

"It's not a secret but it's not common knowledge either, but the Weasley's are looked down upon as blood traitors because the last female born as a Weasley seven generations ago didn't honor a contract with the House of Black and thus we received the Weasley curse as it was called, although that was broken with Ginerva's birth. After that contract was broken by her, the Weasley family refused most pureblood traditions and protocols. What can you tell us about Black?" He directed his question to Penny.

"Well, we Ravenclaws know he speaks several languages –although the fluency is debatable. We saw and heard him talking to Su Li last night in Chinese at the sorting. He apparently caught Padma Patil's interest last night and he can at least ask 'how are you?' in whatever Hindi language she speaks. Then there's English and since he's a Black, French and Latin are givens -unless his Uncle decided to deal away with all sense of tradition but giving his bearing I'd have to say he kept with at least part of it. Greek as well, maybe."

"Grandmere is french." Miranda said.

"So many languages and do you know who his mother is? Has she been mentioned by him other than what he said at lunch?" The younger Slytherin prefect, Wells, asked.

"He hasn't mentioned her so far, so I assume half-blood from an old family at the very least. They probably married with a clandestine wedding to his father during the middle of war. It would be rather romantic if you put aside the fact that Regulus really was a death-eater to You-Know-Who, so it would have to be a pureblood. That doesn't really narrow it down all that much. About half of the students here are pureblooded, even if they're not proclaiming the virtues of their line like the Malfoy scion. Then again quite a few of them are only pureblooded in the loosest definition of the word. They wouldn't know traditions if they smacked them in the face –no offense Diggory." The elder Slytherin prefect stated. It was no wonder she held onto her imaginary romances since she'd never experience them. She was betrothed to an older man that she got along well with. If you consider the fact that she felt much more like his niece than his soon-to-be-wife getting along well with.

"A good third of the student body are half-bloods -if you consider half bloods having at least one muggle born parent. The last sixth of the school is muggle-born. So we have options to choose from and research." The newest Ravenclaw prefect stated. He was a bit full of himself but he did know his statistics, but that was August Terrups for you.

"While typically options are good, we need to narrow it down. Blood tells all, after all." Penny said, repeating an old prueblood proverb which seemed doubly odd and ironic coming from a muggle-born.

"Yes, that is a rather unfortunate truth Penny. So his mother's talents are unknown, as is her line and its magicks. She may not have even gone to Hogwarts. Do you know anything about his father's scores while here? It may not be as accurate since he was a Slytherin, after all." The elder Slytherin prefect, Miranda said and then explained to the rest. "OWL and NEWT scores are a matter of public record after all; we'll get more information to share at the next meeting. School scores are just a basis on how well you understand a subject after all. They really don't matter. They don't decide your future. It's why we haven't worked with Crabbe and Goyle -they get it, they're just lazy sods."

"I looked Regulus up in the library after escaping the Great Hall, they have the students that make the top ten of their year listed with what rank they have in each class ever since the advent of standardized testing. He excelled in Defense, Potions -consistently in the top three slots- and was never beaten in Charms and outscored Lily Potter by a few points in comparison -which was only looked at because she was in the same year as his Uncle. His transfiguration was a bit weaker being about sixth in his class. He was unequaled in arithmancy, the he had over fifteen points lead over the second in the class, and beat my scores in it by a few points." The younger Slytherin stated. Wells was well known for being the best student in arithmancy to the point of even helping the upper years out.

"What about his Uncle then? I heard that he was an auror..." Diggory lead off.

"In the top five of everything he took, including runes and divination but minus potions, where he was in the top fifteen I guess-his grades in there fluctuated quite a bit. He wasn't consistently on the list over the years."

"Guess the grades depended on who he was partnered with." The female Hufflepuff spoke up for the first time, she was only a sixth year but she was good.

"Yes it did. There was a note that he should never be let near a cauldron without a minder. My guess is that he was a bit too excitable to be left without one. His sixth year end of test had him able to identify a potion that is deemed odorless by smell alone. The professor, Slughorn, was admittedly impressed about his sense of smell. Enough to mark it on the record sheet -or I'll assume he did and not a student. That minder comment sounded like a student comment."

"Hmm, so a strong history of transfiguration, charms, languages – I am including runes, and maybe arithmancy. Astronomy isn't something a Black would know nothing about given their propensity of names -especially to their male heirs, and neither is History which they firmly leave their stamp upon. The Black family talents lean towards divination -that is how the Blacks earned their name or so the story goes by telling 'Black' fortunes- transfiguration and enchanting." Percy stated, for the benefit of those not in the know, namely Penny and possibly the sheltered Cedric. Gryffindor prefects were a bit limited in this unofficial meeting. The unofficial rule for the unofficial meeting was at least one rep from each of the houses. Every rep also had to be in a different year. There were no head boys or head girls unless they were in the unofficial prefect coven beforehand. If the Head boy or girl was present then, they lost the right to represent more heavily.

"Enchanting? Don't you mean charming?" Cedric asked.

"Apparently, and at one time the Blacks were the best at it. Nowadays most things are charmed, and those wear off eventually -even when cast by a master. I'm not sure exactly why they stopped. It could be as simple as not wanting to do so anymore, to new laws, or a lack of talent but I do know that some of the enchanted items were rather questionable -but they were commissioned and bought and sold. I am including that piece of jewelry that had that Bloodlust curse on it -to end that Queens's line. What was left in the shop was taken back to the Black family home." The younger male Ravenclaw said. Terrups liked his facts and figures. It was also reasonable to include the jewelry Black had mentioned as what they once dealt in. Needless to say, Terrups was a pureblood.

"My Mother actually has a clock -a gift from her aunt who married into the Prewitt family- that was a Black creation, by the aunt herself. It tells of the status of everyone in the family. I'm not sure on its principals but I do know that it requires a hair and a clock hand for whoever is placed upon the clock. It still works after all these years. There are even rumors that the Blacks cast the enchantment upon the Great Hall's ceiling during the founder's era. Divination and enchantments are two areas that are next to impossible to beat a Black at."

"Wow, to enchant the ceiling, I wonder how. How reliable are these rumors about the Hall?" Penny asked in excitement.

"Rather reliable. History regulates that as one of the accomplishments of Salazaar –bringing in the Black family to enchant the castle. Rumors also state the reasons that Bellatrix was next to impossible to beat in a duel is because she could predict the future, see seconds ahead of what you were going to do and where you'd move to." The younger Slytherin added cheerfully. Well, Wells was a Slytherin who was proud of the Slytherin alumna's accomplishments. She had needed several senior aurors to take her down and three paid for her take down with their lives.

"Well, Penny, my contribution to your statements is to watch him carefully. He's far more in tune with his magic than most and probably knows more about magic than some fourth years -_silenceo_ is advanced material but he cast that easily. Remember his Uncle did escape Azkaban after all. He's bound to be a wily one. I expect that since no one saw him or his Uncle while they were in Diagon, they are good at blending in anywhere. Sweet Merlin! I was even there during that occasion and didn't make the pair! I could have been next to them in the Robe shop or when I was getting my potion supplies."

"Percy! You can't expect to know exactly what they looked like. Besides, it sounded like they choose the day when it would the book shop would be more full than usual!"

"I didn't know you were magic sensitive Percy." The female Slytherin said –happy with the new information but a bit put off with the fact that she wouldn't be able to use it.

"I live with the twins. It's paramount to survival. Still you're right Penelope. I just can't help but think what a travesty of justice it was to not catch that murderer."

"Well, do you want to know what Orion said when someone called his Uncle a mass murdering criminal last night before he left the common room for bed?" Penny asked with a catty smile. That perked up every prefect at this unofficial meeting.

Percy blanched at the crude statement but nodded his assent. The Slytherins looked at each other. The Hufflepuffs paled considerably. The Ravenclaws looked a bit too smug so it couldn't have been too bad.

"August, you can do the inflections much better than I. It happened last night during the, I guess you could call it the informal interrogation in the common room."

The male Ravenclaw nodded. "He said this in much more menacing tones than I can do though,

_"Find me the trial transcripts that prove so unequivocally and I'll agree whole-heartedly. There's just this one tiny little problem -those transcripts don't exist. Isn't it a bit strange that they have my dear Aunt Bellatrix extolling the virtues of the Dark Lord and how pleasurable it was to cast the crucitacius again and again and again on the Longbottoms till they went insane but there isn't even a scrap of parchment that can prove his guilt or innocence in either way? Remember, the wizarding world was celebrating the downfall of its greatest foe since Grindelwald. Uncle was in Azkaban by the second of November. There was no convening of the Wizengamut during that time frame -a matter of public record- which is law when it deals with sentencing the Lord or heir of a House. My father was dead before the Potters were__.__ He wasn't the heir of the House anymore, and it defaulted to Sirius because I had yet to be born."_

While I can't get the quiet menace and infliction of his words exact, I think you get the picture. Apparently, Sirius was defaulted to be Lord Black since they never made or more accurately could not make his disownment official –seeing as Orion's grandparents weren't the Lord and Lady Black. Orion was born sometime after Regulus died from what I can infer. Sirius gave the title back to Orion at some point, which has a lot of power and connections to it some time ago. He mentioned Sirius not wanting the title and how it was going to go to Regulus if he had survived."

"It does have a lot of connections to the title. Sirius was dubbed the 'white sheep of the family' for a reason after all. Then again he might just not want to have to deal with all the responsibilities that come with it." The Wells said. "I don't want to deal with my family's estate, but I have to since Mother doesn't have the training needed and giving it to a regent until I'm finished with schooling is asking to get fleeced."

"Still I really don't thing I'll work in the ministry under Fudge is a good idea for now –for any of us. If I understand his implied message, the ministry imprisoned someone illegally on several counts. If I remember my earlier years correctly Bagnold was more of figurehead and Crouch was the leading man with Fudge as his second in command. After the truth about his son came out during the trials, Crouch was disgraced, placed into Games and Sports at the ministry -the lowest offices besides the Liaison offices- and Fudge was the only one with enough time on his hands and a reputation intact enough to actually run after Bagnold resigned after the demise of You-Know-Who. Everyone else was busy rebuilding their lives, businesses, and their families. I remember the big deal they made out of the trials which started later in November, since that whole first week seemed like nothing except a giant party." Percy said to the group of Prefects and Miranda the oldest of the group nodded her acceptance of his statement.

"Then Sirius' case and imprisonment was buried under all the other trials and celebrations, until everyone forgot about him except for his incarceration in Azkaban and the reason that were never proven on why he was there...and thus everyone assumed that since he was there he was guilty." Penny stated stunned that such a thing could happen.

"Exactly Clearwater. We might be able to use magic but we're not infallible. We wouldn't have wizards like you-know-who and Grindelwald trying to take over the wizarding world every so often if we were." Diggory said, with a moment of insight. Similar discussions would be heard soon, but the topic was a bit depressing to consider.

"So, about the Luncheon with the Minister and Bones and her aurors? Do you think that was Black's point of that whole show?" August said, changing the topic abruptly.

"Madam Bones was clearly uncomfortable with the location and length, but it was well within his rights from my understanding, plus he could lie his arse off otherwise, if she did it his way, she at least got the truth, that he was able to tell anyway." The female 'Puff stated succinctly. "The Minister was clearly in the wrong; the auror was just plain stupid. Black got rather instant revenge, a stage, and Rita launching a smear campaign against all those involved. She can read just as well in between the lines as anyone else. He dropped a few hints to Bones. She's going to tear through her department and put the sorry excuses of aurors on unpaid leave. Rita is also going to pick up on them and it's going to make huge waves, especially in the Gryffindor house. Of course that's the point of it." She looked uneasy at the prospect.

"Emily, are you alright?" Diggory asked.

"Fine."

"Diggory, you have to remember, Emilynn's family is rather strange for most Hufflepuffs. She knows all about the oaths and contracts that go on to protect the secrets of what and where." Miranda said.

"Diggory, as a new prefect, much less to this group, there is still a bit to learn. You were only brought here because as a rule, you're fair to everyone and Percy vouched for you with Lynn and last year's graduating 'Puff said so as well. You know, Tonks, second cousin to the new Lord Black and metamorphagus extraordinaire?" The romantic Slytherin said.

"Diggory, I might be down on the rosters as a muggle-born, but I'm a halfblood. If the ministry knew about my parent's true identity, I'd be dead. Miranda is my best friend and has been since we met." Emilynn stated in a flat tone.

"Really?" Diggory didn't know why but he'd accept her word on it, it seemed better not to know in this case.

"Yes. I would be." She said. "If that is all, we still have feathers to clean up in the Common room Cedric, and explanations to the first years to give about politics and why the Minister is an idiot and what the big deal was."

"I really don't know how much help-"

"Cedric, we cover the basics. It's easy. We explain to them in a simple way because that second year, Mac-whatever has already gotten them confused with his ramblings and stories."

"But, there are other prefects-"

"Who are incompetent and were only chosen since they were the least incompetent. We need to save the little 'Puffs from incompetency! Off we go, Cedric!" Emilynn stated, like she had gotten a complete personality overhaul from surly to friendly and outgoing before dragging Diggory off.

"This meeting is dismissed. We're on clean up and information delivery and I have to go calm my house down before my brothers start a riot, since they've scared off the others Gryff prefects by now." The prefects all went their separate routes or back to patrols or their common rooms.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-8:06 pm. Ravenclaw Tower. Orion's room.

Orion was sprawled out on his bed. He really wondered when the officials would realize that he had never quite finished that oath upon telling the truth. His mirror buzzed in his pocket.

"Hullo, Ringo."

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-8:30 Headmaster's Office

Sprout was the last one in the room and all chatter between the Heads dropped, the sorting hat was on his desk as well to get a look into the first year's mind as custom for the first month of the new school year.

Dumbledore started with, "We've had a trying start to the school year, beyond the normal chaos of the start –with the Minister visiting, a representative of the School Board, along with some aurors and that flying car. So the first order of business, the first years. How are they settling in? It's only the first day of classes, but I'll let Sprout start."

The other Professors sighed. The 'Puffs always seem to need a longer bit of a time adjusting away from home.

"Yes, I've had several come to me, scared and confused, but after I explained it, they calmed down some. Some of the prefects did so earlier so I was just reassuring them. They also cleaned and dispelled the students and the common room of feathers." Sprout said. "Surprisingly, Miss Walker hasn't yet, but she seems to have sturdy character and may just deal with any confusion or home-sickness herself. We'll get a few more homesick before the end of the month."

"She does have a hearty constitution, and while she is intelligent, she doesn't quite have the right mental focus for success as a Ravenclaw, far too compassionate for Ravenclaw objectivity." The hat announced, ending Sprouts comments about her 'Puffs.

"Next the Gryffindors, McGonagall."

"Well, I'm still trying to figure out how to spelled Mr. Creevy's hair back to normal with Poppy –and it wasn't the twins who did that to him, but so far he's been alright with it, and has taken pictures of everything. Miss Holly wanted to go home after the sorting but that was more of her not liking her dip in the lake. Miss Weasley seems a bit shy to me, but she'll grow out of it. The rest have been a bit confused, but Percy explained some of the politics and policies of wizarding society. For the most part, all is well with the first years."

"Then how fare the Slytherins?"

"The usual complaints from the spoiled brats. I didn't have to explain the politics, and I laid down the ground rules for acceptable behavior of Slytherins. Miss Paraking was near inconsolable later today, she and her sister share a close bond and she was worried that she had alienated some of her house mates already."

"Isabella shares everything with her sister, who only missed going this year by a few weeks." The hat confirmed.

"And the Ravenclaws Flitwick?"

"They're all in a tizzy and a bit divided with all the news and gossip of last night and today. I've had to answer questions from politics, to pureblood manners, to history. The book in which keeps the student's score from year to year has already been looked at with pages copied hurriedly for comparison, several times. I've yet to get any with homesickness but I have a Mr. Mason who feels a bit lost, not that he has admitted to it yet."

"He's in a different country learning magic. Eventually Hogwarts will lose him to the Confederacy when his family moves back to the U.S." The Sorting hat said.

"So no problems with Black?" Snape asked.

"None so far but give it till the end of next week. Any enemies he has made will act by then if they're as foolhardy as I think they might be."

"Do you have any proof to back that up Filius?" Minerva asked.

"Aside from the fact that his room is warded so any intruders are marked –in that bright purple we saw several Ravens wearing earlier today? Or should we consider his practice of paranoia with the aurors today? He's also managed to get the bed curtains to stay in place, no matter what opening charm –and I cast them all. I checked and his trunk was also very secure. I'll imagine that his book bag is equally if not more so than the rest of his belongings. If you looked at his class notes and I'm sure he only did this out of boredom, but he was breaking down the variations of the levitation charm into the arithmatic formula and component runes –and what wasn't broken down like the syllabus was written in what seems to be muggle short hand. He's extremely intelligent."

"He didn't take notes during my class." Minerva said primly –she felt slighted.

"What is muggle short hand?" Dumbledore asked puzzled.

"I only know what it is because a former student wrote notes in it and I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I recognized some of the symbols." Filius said.

"It's a system of writing developed by muggle scribes to allow one to take notes as fast as a person can speak." Snape stated blandly. "It was typically used by the muggle judicial system at first, and then was further adapted into a common lingo of sorts found in most secretarial jobs with some symbols replacing parts or whole words. Examples of a word such as because would become b/c. Without would be written as w/o. That's the concept of it. I don't know much more about it." Flitwick wanted to call the man a liar; he was after all wearing his poker/liar face. That and Flitwick taught the man so he knew about the man's note taking skills and his handwriting. The bits of short hand were the only things you could read clearly.

"So how did he learn it?" Minerva asked.

"Did he get into trouble with the muggle courts?" Sprout wondered aloud.

"Franz?" Asked Albus.

"Yes, Albus? No, Mr. Black did not get into trouble with the court system. A friend of his showed him shorthand and I cannot give up the name of the person who did so. I can give you a book that has the table of short hand."

"That's unnecessary Franz."

"What was Mr. Black's life with Sirius Black?" Sprout asked the hat.

"Interesting to say the least, and yes, he's very well traveled and learned. I finally got to see what all the hype about Hawaii was about and it was worth the hype. He's had an interesting life so far and is as every bit as intelligent as his father, with a bit more drive to him."

Snape swallowed bitterly and with dread. He knew how intelligent Regulus was –and that was scary to see in action. There were multitudes of reasons that Regulus held the record for quickest initiation into the inner circle and why despite being the youngest in the inner circle was also holder of the highest position in it before his inexplicable and unexplained death. Most low rung death eaters just knew him as Black and didn't know either of the brothers personally so it was assumed that Sirius was the Dark Lord's right hand man when the details came out during the trials. Regulus made the inner circle obsolete when he was around with his knowledge and skills. He was the guy who could get the toughest prisoner to crack, the wizard to plan what to hit and when for the most effect, the one who was sent to back up the forces that were pinned by aurors. He was almost as good as the dark lord. He knew just about everything that went on. Regulus was the Dark Lord's second-in-command.(1)

"You should be glad that he isn't against you yet." The hat continued with its warning. "He makes a good ally and an even better enemy. If he ever planned a war, you wouldn't really notice it. He is as Slytherin as he is Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Right now, he's more interested in resetting the playing board as it were."

"How would he do that? And what do you mean Franz?" Pamona asked. Flitwick really thought she needed to leave the greenhouses and the badger house more often and read the situation and several other intelligent people agreed with his sentiments. He was the only one who went to explain it in detail though.

"Think of it this way, in Magical Britain there is basically a few sides to start with. You have the light, the dark and the neutral magical practitioners. They sided with Hogwarts, or specifically Dumbledore and/or the Ministry if you're light or neutral. The dark sided with He-who-must-not-be-named. After that Halloween, the dark retreated, and reset that side of the board after getting over the loss of their leader. The light rejoiced and got on with their everyday lives as did the neutrals -reset. The Ministry elected Fudge, and most of the war time laws were voided, essentially resetting that side as well. Basically, after the defeat of You-Know-Who, everything was reset, until they reached equilibrium before going about and furthering each side's goals. Now you or we have a new player waltzing onto the board. Plans are being shifted and scratched out, essentially resetting the game once again."

"That's a rather dim view to take upon things, Filius." Albus said.

"I know Albus, but I was explaining the hat's view. With every player added it changes the rules of the game however slightly. The question is he a minor, major or pivotal player."

"He is what he wishes to be." Franz stated.

"Is Sirius insane from Azkaban?"

"He does remarkable well for being there. He's as sane as he ever was."

Snape scowled at that remark.

"How is Harry doing Minerva?" Dumbledore switched topics.

"He's a bit shocked and angry. I told him to come to my office anytime he needs me. He didn't know that he had a Godfather or that he was responsible for his parent's deaths."

"Potter is going to go after him, I have no-"

"Enough Severus! We know your opinion on this matter. Do you think they'll actually duel in the halls?" Minerva hissed out.

"Orion has far more restraint than to fall to childish taunting -but that doesn't mean he won't react to being hexed from behind -if you can catch him off guard. He reminds me of Moody somewhat. He's also very accomplished in dueling. In a few years Flitwick might have a sparring partner!" The hat taunted.

"Really? What style does he favor?" Squeaked the tiny charms master.

"Precision. Misdirection. You'd love him as an opponent. Absolute control. Able to direct the duel, plot and plan it out and still be able to improvise!" Franz almost sang!

"If you can break away from such a riveting discussion, I have summer essays to mark." Snape cut in smoothly. Flitwick glared at him.

"Yes, we'll have another meeting Sunday, till then, dismissed." Albus said carelessly to the Heads.

They slowly filtered out. Filius telling the hat that he'd come and continue his chat soon.

He popped a lemon drop in his mouth, while he watched Fawkes preen.

"Franz? How truly dangerous is the boy, Black?"

"He's as dangerous as he wants to be Albus. Don't you dare push him. It will backfire as soon as he figures out your plot. When he does, he may or may not go along with it. He's as cunning and sly as Salazaar, but just as knowledge loving as Rowena. He's a true wild card. He'll not be a tamed pet of yours. Don't even try to think of trying. He'd sooner chew off his own arm than be kept. He's a true Black, not one of the recent imitation ones that have recently graced these halls."

That put Albus on guard. He set to thinking, while doing his menial everyday work.

"Is he an enemy to the light?"

"Not at the moment. A tribute if you will to his dead mother's influence. If he ever become your enemy, I would rather commit suicide. His Uncle is now strictly neutral. He blames you for Azkaban. You knew how close him and James were and still allowed it!"

"It was for the Greater Good Franz. Goodnight."

A few hours later, a portrait that had been faking sleep woke up. "So, how are my decendents Franz?"

"Brilliant and as insane as you ever were."

"Wonderful. Is that plot of their's still working?"

"Oh, yes. No one suspects a thing. Damn shame."

"Ah, well, shame on my house for falling. It seems whenever it does, so does the rest of the world."

"There is more truth to that statement than you realize."

"Of course. There's always truth in even the most outlandish statements."

* * *

(1) You know those rumors about Sirius being Voldemort's right hand man? They had to come from somewhere.

A/N; I had hoped to get the Halloween chapter up by Halloween. I'll aim for thanksgiving though. Have fun, I'm establishing bases for sub-plot here.


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